The Ultimate Cruise
by Pivitor
Summary: One Piece and Teen Titans animated series crossover! Slade's theft of a mystical stone teleports the Titans onto the Grand Line, where an alliance with the Straw Hat Pirates may be their only way home!
1. Chapter 1

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter One: The Stowaways—Slade Meets the Rubberman**

"We did it! We lost them!" Usopp exclaimed, adjusting the sights on his goggles. They were state of the art, and doubled as binoculars. With one last glance the cowardly lookout scanned the seas; not one sight of the Marine boats remained. Usopp cheered, leaping into the air. Unfortunately, his time as a pirate hadn't really increased his coordination, and the liar's feet snagged the edge of the crow's nest. He screamed as he fell over the edge, only rescued by the incredible luck of his suspender snagging on a hook. Of course, luck seemed to run rampant on the Merry Go. The tiny vessel housed the Straw Hat pirates; a pure and fierce force of six. They weren't your ordinary pirates, but then again, this wasn't your typical swashbuckler pirate world either.

"That idiot." Sanji snarled, toying with the cigarette dangling from his mouth as he watched the ship's sharpshooter and cannon operator hanging precariously. Smoke drifted up into the air, past the suave cook's long blonde hair that completely obscured his left eye. With that hair, the cigarette, the suit, and the nonchalant attitude, Sanji was the epitome of sophistication. Of course, many still wondered how he lasted so long as a waiter with such an addiction to smoking.

"HELP!" Usopp screamed, thrashing wildly. He could see the ground coming closer and closer, and he screamed wilder and even wilder accordingly. Of course, he quickly realized that he still had his goggles on; slipping the lenses back on top of his green hat, Usopp could now see that he wasn't close to the ground at all. He was dangling from the crow's nest, several dozen feet above the deck. He quit struggling, glad he wasn't about to hit the ground. Of course, then reality hit instead. He was still dangling from the crow's nest! Usopp's eyes bugged out of his head, nearly hitting the ground themselves as the young man began thrashing again. His high pitched screams echoed across the ocean.

"I'll get him down." Zoro sighed, finally releasing the firm grip he had been holding on his katana since the first sighting of the Marines. He actually had three katanas strapped to his side, held against his body by a large green belt; above that he wore a nearly skintight white shirt. A green bandanna was wrapped around his right forearm; it was only a little darker than his light green hair. It was very short and he had no bangs at all; small wisps of it flittered as they were blown by the salty ocean breeze. Zoro lazily sauntered up the steps to the Go's upper deck, taking his sweet time. Despite being an unstoppable demon in a fight, Roronoa Zoro—the former pirate hunter and now first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates—was a lazy and nonchalant man when not engaging an enemy.

As Zoro left, attention shifted its focus to a lanky 17 year old boy sitting on the mast of the boat. He wore a sleeveless red sweater, blue shorts, and flip flops. A straw hat topped his head, covering his unkempt black hair. This unimposing young boy was actually the fiercest of enemies: this was Monkey D. Luffy, the very captain and founder of the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Good job Nami!" Luffy exclaimed. "That was our best escape ever!"

"Of course it was!" Sanji reaffirmed, dashing to the side of the beautiful Nami. His eyes had already turned to hearts, pumping rapidly from his head. He grabbed the girl, rubbing his face against her bosom. "Nami-san's plans never fail!" The girl span, sending her fist into the cook's surprised face. Sanji was hurled into the wall of the ship, splintering the wood behind his whipped body.

"Idiot." Nami sighed, brushing her soft orange hair out of her eyes. Nami was the Merry Go's navigator; without her, the Straw Hat Pirates would have been lost at sea eons ago. Her seemingly delicate body actually housed a tough girl, as was proved by her years as a thief. She glanced at a strange, watch-like device on her wrist. It was an indicator, the only instrument a navigator could rely upon on the Grand Line. Due to incredible fluctuations of magnetic force in this miraculous place, compasses were useless. She gasped when she saw which direction the indicator was pointing.

"Luffy!" Nami exclaimed. "We have to turn back! Our little plan moved us off course!" She turned, ready to command the strong men to change the ship's direction. Zoro would grumble, of course, but Nami could get Usopp and especially Sanji to do whatever she wanted.

"No." Luffy simply said, never taking his gaze off the ocean in front of him. "The Marine ships are still back the other way. We'll have to go this way for a while."

"But this direction is way off course!" Nami argued. "We'll never get to our destination this way!"

"That's okay." Luffy smiled. "Maybe we'll find a nice restaurant along the way." He rubbed his stomach, licking his lips at the thought of some food.

Nami just sighed, smacking herself in the forehead. Why did she ever pledge her allegiance to such a stupid Captain? She suddenly felt a tug on her leg. Something snapped in the slender little thief's head. Sanji had been really clingy today, and he wasn't getting away with any more!

"Get off me Sanji you moron!" She screamed, kicking her foot high into the air.

"Wait! Nami, it's me!" A tiny voice screamed. Opening her eyes, Nami noticed that it _wasn't_ Sanji groping her leg. It was a tiny reindeer. It was about three feet tall, with small, humanoid arms and legs. He had a blue nose, and wore a pink tophat that his antlers poked through. This was Tony Tony Chopper, the newest addition to the Straw Hat Pirates. He served as their doctor, but was also a fierce warrior when the situation called for it, having the ability to shapeshift into seven unique forms of his own body. Nami blushed, lowering her leg and letting the meek little animal hop off.

"Sorry about that Chopper." Nami said, shifting her evil glare to the battered cook who had just finished pulling himself out of the wall. "I thought you were Don Juan over there." Lighting another cigarette, Sanji noticed that she was looking his way.

"Hi Nami-san!" He cried, waving frantically like the hopeless romantic he was. Nami just shook her head and sighed again, returning to the tiny doctor. "Oh yeah. What did you want, Chopper?"

"I just wanted to know why those guys were chasing us." Chopper asked, pointing back towards where they had left the Marine's ships in the dust. Nami smiled; she had forgotten that Chopper hadn't yet encountered the Marines in his short time in the crew.

"That was just the Marines. They always try to catch pirates like us, but we always outsmart them." She smiled, pulling a paper from her pocket. It unrolled as she held it towards Chopper; a picture of Luffy was prominently displayed on the front. "Our good captain is a wanted man you know: he has a bounty of 30 million berries on his head!"

Chopper's eyes grew large as saucers as he snatched the sheet from the girl's hands. "Wow! 30 million berries! That's a lot of money!" That familiar sheet caught Usopp's eye.

"Hey Chopper!" Usopp exclaimed. "Can't you see me in that picture too?" The little reindeer cocked his head and squinted. After several silent moments he noticed Usopp standing in the background of the picture, his back turned to the camera. Chopper nodded, sending Usopp into another bragging frenzy. "That's right! Me, the great Captain Usopp, am worth 30 million berries!"

"Really!" Chopper asked, his eyes growing even larger. Nami swiped the sheet from his hand, tucking it into her pocket as she glared up to the precariously perched liar.

"Of course not little guy, but just play along with it." Nami whispered out of the side of her mouth. "The guy's a compulsive liar; he can't help himself." Cupping her hands around her mouth, she called out to the dangling boy. "Usopp, I think you should be more worried about getting down from there than about bounty hunters!"

Usopp snapped back into reality, as if he had forgotten the trouble he was in. He looked down, seeing Zoro staring up at him. The swordsman had barely moved since he had come to save Usopp; perhaps he was still trying to find a way to get him down?

"Zoro you idiot!" Usopp screamed, waving his fist at him in anger. "When are you going to get me down already? Hurry it up!" Zoro sighed, turning his back to the crow's nest and sauntering down the stairs onto the back deck.

"I'm not going to help you if you're going to treat me like that." Zoro grunted, pulling his katanas out and laying them across his lap as he leaned against the wall of the back deck.

"Wait Zoro!" Usopp yelled, his voice going up several decibels after each scream. "Come back!" But it was no use; the second Roronoa Zoro's eyes closed, he was out like a light. "Oh great." Usopp sighed, his body hanging limp. "Who's going to save me now?"

"I got ya!" Luffy exclaimed. Grasping his straw hat with his left hand, the boy rose to his feet suddenly. Even quicker he pushed himself into the air, back flipping across the deck, and then somersaulting so that he landed facing the crow's nest. Nami and Chopper, both realizing what was about to happen, ran out of the line of fire.

"NO LUFFY!" Usopp exclaimed, waving his arms. "It's okay! I can stay up here and watch for more Marine ships!"

Luffy paid him no attention as he thrust his right arm behind him. Incredibly, it stretched out, moving back across the ocean like a rubber band being pulled. This was how Monkey D. Luffy had achieved his infamous nickname of the Rubberman.

"Rubber…ROCKET!" Luffy exclaimed, throwing his arm forward. Now it snapped like when a rubber band was let go of. The elastic boy's outstretched arm flew towards Usopp, who was now praying frantically as a last resort. They collided, ripping Usopp—and the peg he was hanging from—straight off the pole. As they started to move away from the Merry Go, the captain pulled his shoulder back, in return bringing his arm to him. As it retracted, Luffy leaped into the air; the recoil of his arm snapping back into place sent him into a spin. Letting go of Usopp, the cowardly sniper was sent flying into the wall right next to Sanji.

"That was amazing!" Tony Tony Chopper exclaimed, rushing to Luffy and leaping into his arms.

"You bet it was!" Luffy returned, spinning the little reindeer around as they both did a dance of joy. Nami looked on in wonder at the two children of the Devil's Fruit. How could such feared warriors be such jokers? The two suddenly ended their dance at the sound of Luffy's stomach growling like a starving lion.

"Aye Sanji!" Luffy called. "I need some meat!"

Sanji grunted, pulling Usopp to his feet. Leaving the disoriented sniper to stumble away—eventually falling down the stairs—he turned to his captain. "I'll make you some meat when all the others eat! I can't keep feeding you, or we'll run out of food again!"

"Oh boy!" Luffy exclaimed, rubbing his hands together as he eagerly licked his lips. "I get meat!"

"TITANS, GO!" Robin cried, sending his fighting force into battle with his patented battle cry. Robin the Boy Wonder was once the sidekick of the famed crime fighter Batman; now he led the elite team known as the Teen Titans. He charged his enemy, his steel toed boots clanking on the ground and his black cape flittering behind his red covered torso. He was wearing a yellow utility belt, black gloves, green tights, and a black mask that made you wonder just how it stayed on his face.

"Try all you like Robin; there is no way the apprentice can beat the master." Laughed his enemy—a man known only as Slade. Slade looked like a robot, wearing a full mask that was brown on one side and black on the other. Only one of his eyes could be seen peeking through. The rest of his impressive body was covered in brown, black, and silver body armor. His arms were folded, as if he didn't consider the boy a threat at all.

Robin snarled, enraged at Slade's passing reference. "I was never your apprentice!" He screamed, throwing his foot into his enemy's face. Slade easily ducked beneath it, grabbing the boy's thin leg and slamming Robin into the ground. He leaned over his body, staring into the boy wonder's face.

"You were, and you can never forget it." Slade said coldly. "No matter the circumstances, you worked for me; and remember what happened when you tried to leave? You were defeated!" The evil man pulled his arm back behind his head, ready to crush his former apprentice's skull. Robin barely moved his head past the fist, using a quick flip to free himself from Slade's grip. The pure stone beneath them blew apart as Slade's fist tore into it. The teen again charged his opponent, this time unleashing a flurry of punches. Slade waved his arms back and forth, parrying the punches with perfect precision.

Slade finally grabbed Robin's arm, tossing him to the side. He threw a few punches himself; Robin knocked a few aside, then pushed his opponent's arm beneath him, using the force to somersault over Slade's head. He landed on one foot, instantly pivoting so that he could send his foot into the fiend's back. Slade stumbled forward. He finally regained his footing, turning to see Robin charging at him with his staff in hand. A look of pure hatred was plastered over the boy's face, giving Slade even more pleasure. The villain's hand quickly passed his belt, dropping a disk to the ground beneath the two. It exploded, the impact sending Robin flying backwards. Slade was prepared however; he used the force to send himself somersaulting backwards through the air.

"Raven!" Robin commanded as he tried to shake the dizziness from his head. "Seal the exits! Everybody else, attack!"

A girl in a blue cloak floated to the air, even her face concealed by the shadows. "Azarath…" The girl chanted, moving her blue gloved hands and gray skinned arms from beneath her cloak. You could now see her thin body, and the dark blue suit that covered it—except for her legs. A golden belt hung loosely from her hips. This girl was Raven, a master of telekinesis and dark arts. "…Metrion…" She continued. Black spheres of dark energy wrapped themselves around her hands as an eerie white glow emanated from her eyes. "…Zinthos!" She finished, as her darkness spread across the entire wall of the cavern. All of the exits were sealed. Slade stopped in his tracks, unsure what to do next.

"You shall not be victorious!" Starfire cried, flying straight towards Slade. She was a strange but beautiful alien girl from the planet Tamaran; an odd purple jumpsuit covered her orangish skin. She had red hair that flowed behind her back as she charged the thief. Pulling one arm back, a translucent green ball of energy formed around her hand. She started thrusting both arms forward, releasing dozens of the little Star Bolts. Slade leaped backwards, letting the projectiles explode harmlessly on the ground before him. Just as he landed, though, the villain was knocked off his feet by a blue wave that hit him from the side.

"Booyah!" Cyborg exclaimed as the sonic cannon on his arm still smoked. Cyborg was once human, but was now mostly a blue and grey robot. Some of his black skin could still be seen though. It needn't be there. Cyborg had proved himself to be human enough time after time. His sonic blast still pushed Slade across the room, but the villain was ready to push himself out of its path and back into this fight.

"I don't think so!" Terra yelled, raising her arm into the air. "Your trip is coming to an end!" A yellow hue glew through the girl's brown gloves. Terra was the newest Titan, but she was still as tough as they came. She was the skinniest member of the team, and her black tank top and khakis barely stayed on her. Her shirt had a "T" emblazoned on it, and goggles sat perched on top of her long blonde hair. As the light radiated off her hands a rock correspondingly shot out of the ground behind Slade. The villain's back was slammed into it, the sonic blast that brought him there finally exploding.

Slade fell onto his knees, but had no time to rest as he heard a roar come from his side. A green colored tiger was leaping towards him, teeth bore and ready to kill. The fiend leaped to his feet, pulling a staff out of his belt. Thrusting it into the tiger's face, it barely kept the creature's deadly teeth out of Slade. Strangely enough, the strange green creature seemed to fall into itself. It was now a small green hummingbird, hovering over the staff. A split second later it had become a mountain goat; it pushed its back feet against the staff and plowed its horns into Slade's chest. The villain was sent stumbling across the ground, but the creature simply shifted back to its true form.

"And that's how the cookie crumbles, Slade." He laughed. The shape shifter was known as Beast Boy. He was slim and wore a purple and black jumpsuit with a thick black belt. He had green fur all over his body, and the hair on his head was an even darker shade of green. He flashed a toothy grin as he gave his teammates a thumbs-up.

Slade slowly rose to his feet, breathing heavily. His hand slipped past his belt as he pulled what appeared to be a bomb from it. As he moved to throw it, the bomb was overwhelmed by a veil of darkness. He looked up to see Raven moving her arms, using her powers to swipe the device right from his hands.

"That's not playing nice." Raven said, pointing her other hand forward. A black blast shot off, exploding in front of Slade. As he stumbled, the brilliant villain realized that Raven had unblocked the exits to attack him! He pushed off on one foot, hoping to make it out before any of these fools could stop him! Of course, Slade was stopped by a flurry of green blasts ricocheting off the ground besides him. He was knocked off his feet, but pushed himself in the other direction with his powerful arm. His flight in this direction, however, was stopped by another of Cyborg's sonic blasts. Slade tried to run in another direction, but as expected, Terra threw a rock to block his escape. As he twisted towards the final direction, several explosive disks hit in front of Slade, knocking him onto his knees. He was surrounded by Teen Titans.

Robin pulled several more disks from his belt, poising them for instant deployment between his fingers. "You were right Slade: I did lose to you in one on one. But do you remember what else happened that day?" Slade grunted. "You lost to the Teen Titans, just like today! You can never defeat us if we fight together!"

Slade looked down and began laughing. It wasn't a laugh of a defeated man; then again, Slade's tone never seemed to change. The Titans again poised themselves as he pulled something out of his belt. "Here, you can have it." Slade said, holding a large red crystal into the air. The Titans gasped. "Well, this is what you came here to stop me from stealing, right? Well, here it is: The Stone of Iso Toa."

"Wow!" Terra gushed. "It's so beautiful!"

"I wasn't expecting it to be so—red." Cyborg said, his head cocked to the side. Slade slowly rose to his feet, holding the prize over his head—then before anybody could react, he had pulled several more explosive disks from his belt. His arm a blur, he tossed them towards Starfire.

"You liar!" Starfire screamed. Green flames flickered from her eyes, and she shot a beam from them. This beam was superior to the Star Bolts fired from her hands, and it tore through the disks and headed straight towards Slade. He had hit the alien's sore spot with that lie.

"Thank you Starfire!" Slade exclaimed. He thrusted his hand forward, holding the Iso Toa straight into the line of Star's fire. The beam hit home; however, the crystal was not shattered. Instead a bright yellow light seemed to be building up inside of the stone itself.

"Brace yourself!" Robin screamed. The light seemed to burst from the stone, engulfing the entire cavern. As the light faded and the smoke cleared, the cavern laid empty. Not a soul was in sight.

The Merry Go still floated off course, Luffy insisting that they would find a restaurant any second. Luffy and Nami were arguing on the deck. Chopper watched intently, while the others seemed not to care and went about their own business. Suddenly, a small ball of light appeared on the ship's deck.

"What's that?" Nami gasped. The two stopped their fight and stared at the ball. Luffy reached out to touch it, but before he could, it exploded in a flash of light. As the light faded and the pirates could finally see again, they were shocked to find seven strangers standing on their deck.

"This does not look like our home!" Starfire cried. "Nor does it look like where we were fighting the Slade! Where are we?"

"This was unexpected." Slade mused, looking over his surroundings. He knew this mystical stone would have some sort of reaction, but he hadn't expected a teleportation. "Time for my exit." He said to himself, running forward. With the Stone of Iso Toa, he wouldn't be swimming for long before he could get back home. He took a step forward then shot off. However, he didn't run as expected. Slade tripped; tripped over a small reindeer named Tony Tony Chopper. Chopper was pushed into the railing of the ship, and he quickly burst into tears.

"Um—" Cyborg stuttered. "What in the world is that thing?" While the Titans stared on in wonder, Luffy wasn't going to take such a passive stance.

"You hurt Chopper!" Luffy screamed, a look of pure rage on his face. Tossing his straw hat aside, he span and shot his foot straight backwards: right into Slade's gut. "Rubber…SHOT!" Slade was sent flying as Luffy's leg stretched across the ocean; however, the villain kept his fingers dug deep into the boy's rubber skin.

"Duuuude…" Beast Boy drooled. "That was the coolest thing I have ever seen."

"Raven! We can't let him keep it!" Robin quickly exclaimed, realizing that Slade still had the Stone of Iso Toa.

"Got it!" Raven rogered, thrusting one hand forward with such force that it drove the dust out from beneath her. Her eyes again glew as a crystal covered with darkness flew into her hand. "Just in time." She sighed to herself.

Luffy groaned in pain. Slade had a tight grip! "Let go!" Luffy commanded as he launched both of his arms forward until they grabbed the pole supporting the crow's nest. He then launched his other leg parallel to the first. Luffy laughed as he began rotating his body rapidly; soon he was twisted like a washcloth being rung out.

"Rubber…CORKSCREW!" Luffy stopped spinning, letting the rest of his body naturally start spinning in the other direction. It picked up insane speed, becoming nothing but a long blur. Slade held on to the boy's leg for dear life, even as he was slammed through the ocean and span around. His grip finally started to weaken, until finally Slade couldn't stand it anymore. The villain lost his hold, and was flung far into the stratosphere. Luffy's body spun and contorted back to normal and he jumped onto the deck as if nothing had happened at all. The Teen Titans were flabbergasted.

"So, was that little kick still the coolest thing you've ever seen?" Raven asked Beast Boy dryly. The little green boy shook his head no, unable to take his eyes off the incredible rubberman. Luffy walked to his hat and made sure it was safely perched on his head before approaching his "visitors."

"That was incredible." Robin told him. "I can't believe you beat Slade in one shot!"

"It was nothing." Luffy smiled, winding up his arm. "Hopefully the rest of you pirates will give me a better challenge."

"Pirates?" Terra asked, taking a step back. "He thinks we're pirates?"

"Sweet!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "I always wanted to be a pirate! Back when I was a little boy I used to pretend I was a fierce pirate, patrolling the seven seas on my faithful ship, the _Moped_'. Boy that wa—" Terra and Raven both smacked Beast Boy across the back of his head before he droned on any more—or incriminated them any more.

"Hey Luffy!" Zoro called, strolling onto that side of the deck. As he noticed the Teen Titans he took a double take, quickly pulling out one of his katanas and taking a stance. His hand was ready to grab any of the other two at any second. "Who the hell are these guys?" He asked.

"Just some pirates that invaded our ship." Luffy replied matter of factly, as if people randomly appeared on his ship every day. "They shouldn't be a problem; their leader was a cinch to take down."

"Fine by me." Zoro smiled, clenching the muscles in his legs as he prepared to move. "I haven't gotten a good workout in a while."

"Robin, what do we do!" Starfire cried. "Shall we attack?"

"I don't know Star." Robin sighed, moving his head back and forth as he stared at the threat surrounding them. "I really don't know."

Next Time: Allies From Opposite Sides—Destination Set


	2. Chapter 2

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter Two: Allies From Opposite Sides—Destination Set**

The six Teen Titans stood uneasily on the wooden deck of the Merry Go. Somehow, the Crystal of Iso Toa had teleported them onto this strange boat full of unusual people. The question of how it had done it remained—but now there were more important things to worry about. The ship's captain—the miraculous rubberman Monkey D. Luffy, who had just defeated Slade in a single attack—thought the Titans were his enemies!

"Robin, what do we do!" Starfire cried. "Shall we attack?"

"I don't know Star." Robin sighed, moving his head back and forth as he stared at the threat surrounding them. "I really don't know." The six of them together could no doubt take the two warriors who now opposed them; however, Robin didn't want to make them his enemy unless he had to. There was no reason for them to fight!

"Aye Zoro!" Luffy exclaimed, winding his arm up even faster. "Are you ready to fight?"

"You bet!" Zoro smiled, lifting his katana above his head as he jumped headlong into an attack. The Titans moved close to each other, waiting for a command from Robin. Fortunately for them, it never had to be issued. An orange streak zoomed between them and Luffy, knocking Luffy backwards into the mast. It then dashed to Zoro, hitting him in the stomach and knocking him flat on his back.

"You guys are the biggest idiots I've ever known!" The streak exclaimed—revealing itself to be the navigator Nami, holding a long red staff. She snapped her wrists, breaking the staff into three connected pieces similar to numbchucks. She stuffed the collapsible weapon down her cleavage, confident nobody in the world would be brazen enough to go after it there. "These guys can't be pirates!" She continued, obviously beyond irritated. "They don't even have a ship! They just randomly appeared on our deck, if you didn't notice Luffy! Wouldn't you like an explanation?" Luffy shrugged.

"Don't blame me you wench." Zoro grunted, using his empty sheath as a cane to push himself onto his feet. He tossed his one drawn katana into the air, then held the sheath up. "I didn't see that. I was only following Luffy's orders after all." The sword fell from the air—straight into its sheath. Zoro span the sheath in his hand before tucking it into his belt, besides the other two.

Luffy's eyes lit up, as if it had taken his brain that long to think of a rebuttal. Perhaps it had. "But Nami, their leader hurt Chopper! They must be bad!"

"He wasn't our leader!" Robin interjected, waving his gloved hands as if to ward off that unthinkable idea as quick as possible. "That man is Slade—our biggest enemy! He stole this jewel," Robin gestured towards the Stone of Iso Toa that Raven was holding in her hand, "And I think it brought us here somehow." The boy wonder blushed, realizing how insane their story sounded.

"Indeed!" Starfire exclaimed. "The Slade is a very bad man, and we have nothing to do with him!"

"Oh." Luffy said hesitantly, scratching his chin. "Okay!" The Titans collapsed. It's a good thing they were telling the truth; it appeared that this Luffy was too gullible for his own good! They just stood there for a few minutes, letting the warm ocean breeze caress them as they tried to figure out what to do next. It was finally the sensible Raven who spoke up.

"Well, as entertaining as this is, I guess we should try to figure out a way back home." she suggested. Nami nodded.

"Good idea!" Luffy exclaimed. "But it isn't good to think on an empty stomach. HEY SANJI! WHERE'S MY MEAT!"

Cyborg's eyes lit up—well, the one that isn't normally lit anyway. "Meat?" he asked. "What sort of meat? Pork, bacon, lamb, veal, ham, beef…I love it all!"

"Me too!" Luffy laughed, wrapping his arm around his new mechanical friend. "Sanji! You better make a lot more meat!"

The door to the kitchen opened with the force of a hundred explosions, slamming against the wall behind it. Sanji emerged, anger reflecting in his eyes and the ladle in his hand shaking. He had an apron on over his normal black suit. "Luffy, how many times am I going to have to tell you not to—" The cook's lecture was cut short by the sight awaiting him on the deck. Standing behind his beautiful Nami-san were three more lovely ladies! The one in the cloak seemed to have an understated beauty, and the blonde one sure was a cutie. However, Starfire was the one who had caught Sanji's wandering eye the most. He dashed to her, grabbing both of her hands as he again fell victim to his hormones.

"What a beautiful specimen!" he exclaimed. "Who might you be?" Drool hung from Sanji's mouth as his heart beat so hard that it seemed to burst from his chest.

"Um," Starfire stammered, "I am called Starfire." He moved his face in closer, prompting Star to back away, levitating slightly into the sky. Her efforts were in vain; nothing could keep Sanji away from a beautiful girl.

"Star-kun!" Sanji exclaimed, a wobbly smile spreading across his face as he created another pet name. Robin's eyes narrowed into slits, steam nearly blowing out of his ears. How dare he hit on Starfire! Fortunately, Terra stepped in before the boy wonder did anything hasty. Sensing Star's discomfort, she grabbed the infatuated cook by his shoulder and pulled him away.

"I'm Terra." She smiled, rubbing Sanji's head. His legs turned to rubber. "Now it's your turn. Just who are you?" The cook's eyes lit up.

"Terra-chan! My name is Sanji, and I will cook you anything your heart desires!" This time it was Terra who lit up. Her massive appetite just might rival that of Luffy's. Sanji felt a weird presence, and turning, noticed Raven floating right next to him. This was his lucky day! All these girls couldn't wait to get their hands on him! "Now it's your turn missy." He flirted.

Raven sighed. Sanji had invaded yet another female's personal space, and his cigarette was right in the girl's face. "I'm Raven." She said as the pupils in her eyes disappeared, letting an eerie white trail float from them instead. A small black field enveloped Sanji's cigarette, pulling it right from the cook's mouth. It floated over the edge of the ship before falling into the ocean. "It's a nasty habit." Raven said, turning her back and walking away from the man.

"I don't like you." Sanji spat, still a bit dumbfounded at the rejection. Suddenly he seemed to snap as he leaped into the air, poising his deadly leg for a kick.

"Oh Sanji…" Nami called sweetly. Sanji ended his attack and fell to the ground, captivated by a request from his sweet Nami. "I think we all want our food now."

"Yes Nami-san!" Sanji gushed, leaving a trail of dust as he rushed back into the kitchen. The navigator laughed at how easily that man could be played.

"And I thought Beast Boy tried too hard." Raven said. Beast Boy started to laugh before realizing he was being insulted, after which he just hung his head. Perhaps he _did_ try too hard, but it was just with Terra—not with every girl that came along like this basket case!

"Um, excuse me." Chopper asked, tugging on Raven's cape. The gothic girl stared down at the little creature; not even her seemingly unshakable confidence could stop her from shuddering at the reindeer's quasi-human appearance. "How did you do that thing with Sanji's cigarette?"

Raven smiled. "I guess you could say it's a form of magic; I've been able to do stuff like that since I was born. It's just a part of me now."

"Wow!" Chopper gasped. "Can the rest of you guys do that?" He asked, eyes wide as he pictured the potential of these new guests.

"No, but there is plenty we can all do." Robin smiled. "Why don't we show them?" The others nodded, but before they could begin the kitchen door again blew open. Sanji dashed out, trays of food piled high on each arm. He zipped back and forth, placing plates in front of the passengers. Usopp followed, finishing the job.

"Dig in!" Sanji exclaimed, eagerly watching the faces of his new fantasy girls as he waited for their reaction to his masterpiece.

"Uh…who are these guys?" Usopp asked, looking around the deck stupefied. Since when had their crew gained six new members?

"Good question." Sanji echoed. In his lust over the new visitors, he never realized that he had absolutely no clue who they were!

"I guess it would be a good idea to go over just how we all got here so that we could look for answers on how to get back home." Robin said. "Come on, I'll explain it all as we eat." As everybody began to sit down, Beast Boy pulled at the pile of meat on his plate. His face contorted in disgust.

"Excuse me cook guy." Beast Boy said, "But you wouldn't happen to have some tofu would you?" Sanji looked perplexed. "Or perhaps a veggie burger?" Still no recognition. "Um…_anything_ that isn't meat?"

"Oh." Sanji grunted. He thought for a second. "Share with the reindeer." Beast Boy looked at the animal's plate; it was covered with nothing but greens. Chopper smiled, moving over and patting the seat next to him. The little green boy sighed, hoping all the meals didn't go like this. What's life without tofu?

"So anyway," Robin began, "It all started with a man called Slade." As Robin told the bizarre story of their fight with Slade and subsequent journey onto the Grand Line, it became glaringly obvious that not everybody was listening. Both Luffy and Cyborg were seated at a table away from the group, endlessly jamming meat down their throats.

"Watch this." Luffy smiled. He picked up a chicken leg, shoving the entire thing down his throat. Never losing his grin, he pulled the bone from his mouth, tossing it overboard.

"That's nothing." Cyborg taunted. He picked up two legs, doing the exact same thing with them. Luffy groaned, picking up three legs. Not to be undone, Cyborg grabbed an entire chicken! With neither wanting to give in, the great eat off was underway!

Terra, sitting in the back of the crowd, chuckled at the two. Boys were so silly sometimes. Of course, she could eat right up there with the rest of them. Last time her and Cyborg had had an eat off, the Titan alert had buzzed before it could be finished. Of course, neither of them could move for the fight afterwards. She laughed to herself remembering that fight; but then she was forced to grab her stomach, fending off that sensation that kept creeping up on her. How was she supposed to endure this pain with these buffoons around her? Terra moved, stealthily sneaking off onto the back deck for some alone time.

"I can't believe that Nami sometimes." Usopp grumbled, climbing the long rope-ladder to the Crow's Nest. "She sends me to look for Marines just as the contest gets good!" The sniper laughed to himself, remembering the sight of Luffy stuffing an entire 100 pound tuna down his throat. The fair captain's rubber body was growing more and more with every bite; Usopp wouldn't be surprised if he didn't fit on the deck soon enough! Of course, Cyborg was eating just as much, and he didn't change at all. "Just where does he keep it all, anyway?" He asked himself. "Perhaps he has a food processor in him somewhere." Usopp laughed at his own joke. Pulling himself into the Crow's Nest, he quickly scanned the surrounding ocean. Not a sight of any boat for miles. Good! Now he could get back to the contest.

Just as Usopp started to watch the competition again, he heard what sounded like sniffling coming from behind him. Turning, the lookout set his sights on the smaller back deck were Zoro usually took his naps. Of course, the swordsman wasn't there now; instead, a small girl sat near the railing, crying to herself. Usopp was stunned; she was the spitting image of his Kaya-sama! The beloved maiden who he had cared for all those years back at his home, who he had helped save from the devious Klahadore, and who had given him the Merry Go: the esteemed lady Kaya. Usopp couldn't get over Terra's resemblance to Kaya-sama: the long blonde hair, the beautiful face, even the frail body.

"Well now," Usopp smiled to himself, "I can't let a fair maiden cry now, can I?" Shrugging off any ideas that he was only doing this because she reminded him of Kaya-sama, he told himself that it was his duty as a brave sea warrior! "Captain Usopp is coming!" He exclaimed, grabbing into one of the ropes and sliding down. He almost made a perfect landing, right until his foot hit the ground wrong, knocking the sniper right onto his face. Terra looked up, finally letting out a chuckle.

Usopp blushed, jumping to his feet and brushing the dust off his overalls. Trying to look as poised as possible, he casually stretched his arm behind his head. "So, fair miss, why are you crying?"

"I feel sick." Terra moaned, grabbing her stomach again. It wasn't a wrenching, death-like pain—it was more like a dull buzz, that nauseous feeling that just made you miserable.

"Could you be seasick?" Usopp suggested.

Terra smiled. "No, that's not it. If I'm in a lake, or a pool, or even a bay where I can see land, I'm fine." She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the railing. "My powers give me control over the very Earth itself. When I'm this far away from land—when I can't feel its strength anymore—that's when this happens. I'll be okay once we get to shore."

"But I can't let you feel bad that long!" Usopp exclaimed. "I know! I'll serenade you with tales of my great adventures as a brave sea captain!"

"You have brave tales?" Terra asked. "I thought Luffy was the captain."

Usopp blushed, laughing nervously as he tried to think of a way out of it. "Well, that's what we like to let people think…" Usopp didn't give Terra a chance to turn him down. The sniper dove deep into his imagination, pulling tales out of thin air. He acted out his implausible adventures, fiercely slaying dragons, destroying giants, and defeating the enemies he could still vividly remember Luffy taking down himself. It seemed like ages passed as the boy did what he did best: Usopp lied, but he lied to make people feel better.

"Come on, what happened next?" Terra asked eagerly, getting into the stories.

"Well…" Usopp thought, reaching into the green bag that hung from his shoulder. He pulled out an egg, setting it into his slingshot and turning towards the front of the ship, pulling back on his weapon of choice. "I yelled 'You won't survive this Dragon! Take my Rotten Egg Shot!'" He let go of the slingshot, unleashing the egg. "Then the dragon said—"

"Eww." Usopp and Terra both turned to see Beast Boy standing on the edge of the stairs, rotten egg yoke streaming down his face. "If it weren't for all the meat this would be bearable." He sighed.

"Beast Boy!" Terra exclaimed. She actually jumped to her feet, running to his side. Pulling a handkerchief from the pocket of her khakis, she started wiping yoke from his face.

"Terra?" Usopp said, flabbergasted. "You're on your feet!"

"So I am." Terra smiled. "I was having so much fun listening to your stories that I forgot about the pain. To tell the truth, I can't feel it at all now." Hearing a frustrated sigh from her furry friend, the ground-mover looked back to him. "Sorry, BB. What did you want?"

"I thought you might like to see the end of the eating contest!" he exclaimed. "They haven't stopped yet, and one of them is gonna blow soon!"

"Wow, that sounds great!" Terra laughed. "I'll be there in a sec." Turning back around, she faced her 'savior' once again. "Thanks for the stories, Usopp." The sniper blushed, watching happily as the two left the deck. "But next time, don't lie. I know you have some good stories of your own to tell." She called over her shoulder.

Usopp was taken aback. She knew he was lying? However, he quickly realized she was right. He had lots of stories he could tell that weren't lies! There was the time when he defeated the Merman, the time when he and Vivi's duck had saved Zoro and the others, and even the time when he shot the Jalapeño bullet right down Mr. 5's throat! "Wow! I never realized how much I can actually do!"

"Look!" Terra exclaimed, running ahead. "They're not going to last much longer!" As she dashed onto the deck, Beast Boy lagged behind, his head hung low. He thought he had something with Terra, but that whole time she had been flirting with that sniper! Usopp's spirits quickly dropped too. After all that effort, she had run off with Beast Boy the second he appeared, not to mention her eagerness to clean his face!

"She likes him better." Both Usopp and Beast Boy sighed.

"Luffy you idiot!" Nami screamed, spinning as she threw a punch straight into his overly inflated stomach. The captain burped, sending a shower of bones from his mouth. They fell into the ocean, creating a serenade of splashing water. Luffy passed out, his inflated body rolling backwards from the table. Cyborg had fared no better. He was face down in his food, a few sparks fizzling around his joints.

"And such is the price of glory." Raven mocked, disgusted by the boys' display of foolishness.

"Well, I guess it's a draw." Zoro laughed.

"Yeah, but they ate all our food." Sanji grunted. "Now we'll have to rely on the back up food." Tony Tony Chopper jumped five feet, running behind Nami for protection. Sanji hadn't hesitated to admit numerous times that he considered _Chopper_ their emergency food supply.

"Actually, we shouldn't worry about it too much." Nami smiled, glancing at her indicator. "I had forgotten all about moving off track, but somehow we drifted back onto course! I estimate we should reach our destination by the morning!" Everybody cheered. "I suggest we get to bed now; it's really late. We can worry about finding a way for you guys to get home once we reach land."

"Wait!" Chopper exclaimed, pointing to Robin. "We haven't seen his power yet!" During the contest, the Titans had shown the Straw Hat Pirates their abilities; Cyborg had even shot off a sonic blast from his cannon, although he was still grabbing meat with his other hand the entire time. Terra hadn't gone yet either due to her absence, but nobody expected anything from her in the middle of the ocean anyway.

"Wow." Robin smiled. "My power. Well…I'm a detective. I have a lot of cool gadgets that help me catch bad guys. But if you want to see my favorite skill, it has to be the martial arts." Robin wound his arms in the air, moving his legs apart.

"Martial arts?" Nami asked. "What are those?"

"You know. Karate, judo, tai kwon do…" Robin only received blank stares. "Um, it's basically turning my body into a deadly weapon." Sanji seemed to realize what he was talking about now.

"Oh, so it's like my Red Foot style then." He said, pulling his cigarette away from his mouth and letting smoke puff into the sky. "You're a man after my own heart." Robin smiled. They had their own martial art styles here?

"I'd like to see this style of yours." Robin said. "How about a spar?"

"I don't see why not." Sanji smiled. "But be warned, my foot can smash rock, and leave footprints in steel." Robin laughed. He had heard worse from opponents.

"A fight!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Sweet!"

"Goodie." Raven sighed.

Zoro leaned over the railing of where he was standing. "I wonder if that pompous cook knows what he's getting himself into." he asked, eager to see Sanji get his cocky butt handed to him.

Robin screamed, running towards his opponent. Sanji smirked, raising one foot straight into the air parallel with his body. Slamming it into the ground, wood flew from the ground beneath it, throwing Robin backwards before he could even launch an attack. The boy wonder gasped for breath, realizing that his opponent hadn't been kidding about his leg strength. This time Sanji charged forward, leaping into the air as he span into a kick. Robin ducked beneath it, grabbing the cook's leg and slamming him into the ground behind him.

Sanji quickly jumped to his feet and somersaulted, landing on one foot and spinning the other into an attack. Robin crossed his arms, bracing as the powerful kick pushed him across the deck. Pushing off the ground, the teen propelled himself over the cook's long leg and sent his elbow straight into Sanji's face. Undeterred by the trickles of blood spewing from his mouth, the suave fighter leaped onto both of his arms, wrapping his legs around Robin. Falling backwards, Sanji pile drove his opponent straight into the ground. The boy wonder broke free with a twist, leaping backwards but quickly running forwards again.

"Even if this is just practice, I'm not going to lose this!" Robin exclaimed, throwing his fists forward in a flurry of green thrusts. Sanji smiled, not responding as he again leaped onto his hands. Quickly moving one hand around and pushing with it, the cook started spinning rapidly. He drove forward like a propeller, blocking all of Robin's punches with his own spinning kicks. This time Robin span, throwing one killer of a punch. It collided with Sanji's foot, the recoil sending them both in the opposite direction.

"Go Robin!" Starfire cheered. "Kick the butt!"

"You can do it Sanji!" Usopp screamed.

"You're good." Sanji admitted, finally removing his cigarette from his mouth.

"Of course I am." Robin smiled. "I was trained by the best. But you have to be better than me: you're not even using your hands!"

"A cook's most valuable assets are his hands." Sanji said. "I will not endanger them by throwing punches. I fight solely with my feet."

"Awesome." Robin said. Then he instantly took off, seeing how his opponent would react to a surprise attack. Sanji proved up to the challenge, leaning back behind a left hook. Robin swept his leg low but the cook leaped over it, thrusting his own leg forward. The nimble teen strafed to the side, leaping into the air and throwing his leg sideways towards Sanji's head. He instantly fell to the ground below the attack, throwing one of his own legs out in rapid fire kicks. Robin easily dodged through them, lashing out with some fast paced punches of his own. Sanji moved through them just as easily. Flashing a grin, the cook again threw his leg straight up into the air. However, this time Robin was prepared, launching a kick of his own. Their two feet met half way, straining against each other for a few seconds before pushing the competitors across the deck once more.

Robin and Sanji stared each other down for a few seconds, before running into one final dash. Unfortunately, that assault led them both straight into a wall of darkness. The two fighters fell to the ground, unconscious. Raven's eyes stopped glowing as the walls disappeared.

"The last thing we need tonight is two more idiots fighting until they drop." She sighed, dragging both men by their collars. "Let's get some rest. Tomorrow's a big day."

The ocean of the Grand Line is a chaotic place. Anything lost in it is rarely found, even shipwrecked people. So somehow luck, or perhaps just destiny, was on Slade's side. As the unconscious villain floated through the water, his body happened to wind up just in the right place at the right time. A grand Marine vessel floated by.

"Captain!" One of the marines called. "We've found a man overboard!"

Next Time: Slade the Marine?—The Enemy of my Enemy's Friends is my Friend


	3. Chapter 3

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter Three: Slade the Marine?—The Enemy of my Enemy's Friends is my Friend**

"Captain!" One of the marines called. "We've found a man overboard!" A grand Marine vessel floated through the tumultuous oceans of the Grand Line, hot in pursuit of Pirates.

"Bring him up!" The captain commanded them, never moving from his seat beneath the shade of the sails.

"Aye aye sir!" The marine responded, throwing a life-raft attached to a long rope over the edge. Several more marines ran to his side, grabbing the rope as they attempted to rescue the man. All the marines were dressed the same—a spotless white uniform and hat, with a sword sheathed on one side and a gun holstered on the other. They finally got the victim inside of the preserver, and straining a bit, pulled the floater on board. They were rather surprised at his strange appearance; he looked like a robot! Of course, if they had been familiar with the horrid crime sprees of Jump City, they would recognize this man as Slade, arch-enemy of the Teen Titans!

"Sir, he's alive!" One of the Marines reported.

"Good job soldier." The captain said, lifting his massive body from his seat and emerging into the sunlight. He wore a Marine captain uniform left open to reveal his chiseled muscles, but it was a bit ragged; this captain obviously took business into his own hands if necessary. A strange weapon was strapped across his back. It was long and blunt—like a police officer's nightstick—but with a sharp point and a curved handle. Red Japanese lettering lined his shirt under the weapon. A rack of cigars was wrapped around his arm, and another around his left side. Around his thick neck was wrapped a strange set of goggles, leading up to his large head and slicked back silver hair. Two fat cigars sat perched in his mouth, leaving a trail wherever he went.

Slade's eyes finally opened, and he coughed a bit of water up.

"Captain Smoker sir, he's awake!" Another Marine gasped. As Slade's vision returned to him, he noticed the soldiers surrounding him. As if nothing had happened at all, the villain leaped onto one hand and span around, knocking the Marines around him onto their back. Slade propelled himself into the air, somersaulting as he landed on the other side of the deck. A few more Marines stepped up, ready to defend themselves against this new threat.

"Stand back." Smoker commanded, pushing his underlings aside. The captain slowly paced towards Slade, toying with the cigars in his mouth as Slade pondered the situation.

"I warn you," Slade began, "If I'm not allowed to escape, you will all pay quite dearly."

"I'm so scared I'm shaking." Smoker scoffed. "Nobody can stand against me, especially not some unknown like you!"

"Fine then." Slade sighed, itching forwards. "I need that stone, and nobody is going to get in my way!" Before Slade could even make a move, he felt himself being pulled into the air by his legs. Staring up as he was held upside down, he noticed he was being held by a trail of smoke coming from the captain's cigars!

"As I said: you're nothing compared to me." Smoker repeated, pulling his weapon off his back as he inched closer to his capture. Slade just snickered.

"I don't know how you're doing what you're doing, but it's not enough to hold me." Slade laughed, inching his feet closer together as he slipped through the ring of smoke. He rolled into a tumble as he hit the deck. In one swift motion the fiend pulled his staff from his belt and leaped to his feet, swinging mightily and connecting with Smoker's weapon. The massive captain's grip kept the weapon from flying away, and the force of his return attack sent Slade skidding across the deck. Smoker charged with another swing, perfectly countered by Slade as expected. The Titans' enemy swung so fast that it seemed random and crazed; yet, a definite pattern of preplanned pinpoint strikes could be seen. Despite Slade's genius, Smoker barely moved as he span his weapon, fending off his strikes with ease. Using a stronger than normal swing, Smoker knocked his enemy aside.

"Good try, but there's no way you're getting away with attacking my crew, you ungrateful bastard!" Smoker screamed, pointing his weapon so that the sharp point was aimed towards Slade. He thrusted it forward. Slade laughed as he recovered, pointing his staff right towards the attack. The two points of the weapons met, shattering Slade's staff and sending both weapons flying far away from their user.

"Let's see how long you can last without your weapon!" Slade proposed, using his insane speed to nearly disappear. He returned behind his enemy, throwing a kick straight into Smoker's neck. Strangely enough, it seemed to phase straight through the captain! Smoker span around, tossing a punch. Slade, finally a bit frightened, strafed past it and threw one hell of a punch into his enemy's gut. This time there was no denying it: Slade's arm had gone straight through Smoker's chest, which seemed to have dissolved into a veil of smoke.

"Scared yet?" Smoker asked. "You're better than I had expected, but I still doubt you can stand up to the might of the Devil's Fruit!" With that, Smoker's entire chest faded away into a mighty cloud of smoke, which began to surround Slade. The villain barely had time to drop a small explosive disk from his belt before the smoke engulfed him. Fortunately for him, the explosion knocked Smoker back and allowed Slade to propel himself high into the sails.

"This was an interesting twist." Slade mused, waiting for a sign of life from his bird's-eye view. It came to him in an instant as Smoker burst into the air. His legs had completely disappeared, replaced by a long tail of smoke pushing him through a sky—like a genie.

"White Snake!" Smoker announced, tossing a punch. His arm melted away into smoke, propelling his hard fist right towards Slade. Eyes growing wide, the talented fighter leaped into the air, stepping off the captain's fist and using the momentum to launch himself into a somersault that would send the best of acrobats into a jealous fit. As he touched down back where they had started, Smoker's vapor induced speed already had him right behind the villain. With his last remaining seconds, Slade pulled a laser gun from his belt, firing a sparking red burst of energy straight into his opponent's chest. Unable to prepare for the attack, Smoker was hurled into his own cabin.

Slade finally thought he had won, firing off several more shots in rapid succession. However, Captain Smoker had finally decided to end this. As the shots grew near, his entire body turned to smoke, twisting and contorting through the laser trails until finally he surrounded Slade. The Titan's enemy was lifted into the air by a ball of smoke so tight that he could barely move. Some of the smoke shifted back into Smoker's body, but Slade was still effectively immobilized.

"Tashigi!" Smoker called. "Get a cell ready for this one!"

"Aye captain!" Called a slim young girl running down the stairs. Captain Smoker's assistant Tashigi was a sweet woman in a tight pink shirt, with the word Marine written down the back in black letters. She had tight black pants and a sword hanging from her hip. Pink glasses rested on the arch of her nose, and short black hair covered the rest of her head. Sometimes she seemed incompetent, but Tashigi was quite skilled, and Smoker trusted nobody more than her. As she skipped past, Slade was able to choke out some final words.

"Damn…what kind of place is this? First the rubber kid, now this smoke freak?" He coughed. Tashigi stopped dead in her tracks. Smoker's jaw dropped, the cigars nearly falling from his mouth. The smoke dissipated, becoming the captain's arms once again as Slade fell to the ground, clutching his throat as he desperately gasped for air.

"Rubber kid?" Smoker asked, dumbfounded. "Was he wearing a straw hat, by any chance?" Slade nodded weakly. "I can't believe it!" Slade looked up, intrigued. Somehow, this captain knew the rubber kid. The rubber kid was with the Titans, and with the Titans was his true prize: the Stone of Iso Toa. This could be useful.

"You know him?" Slade asked, the confidence finally returning to his voice.

"He's a pirate—Monkey D. Luffy—with a 30 million berry bounty on his head. I've been chasing him ever since he escaped from my home post of Roger Town. He's a really dumb kid, but he's also a user of the Devil's Fruit like me; therefore, he's not a guy to be messed with."

"I noticed." Slade returned. "Devil's Fruit?"

"You mean you honestly don't know what the Devil's Fruit are?" Smoker asked. Slade nodded no, and the captain launched himself into an explanation. "Devil's Fruit are odd fruit grown all over the world. Each one grants a unique ability to the user—such as straw-hat's rubber body and my smoke powers—but in return they lose the ability to swim." Slade raised an eyebrow, his interest sparked by the potential of these amazing fauna. "Now, what's your connection to straw-hat?" Smoker returned.

"I believe I come from a world alternate to this one." Slade began. "Some enemies of mine were trying to take something very precious from me. It was a stone, one that I had to go to great lengths to get and which held amazing power. An attack from one of my enemies activated that power, teleporting all of us onto a boat. Apparently we were brought to this 'Luffy's' boat, where he took me by surprise. After that, I ended up here."

Smoker laughed. "So straw-hat beat you, eh?"

"I said he took me by surprise." Slade reiterated. Smoker rolled his eyes.

"Whatever." The captain continued, his hand smoking as a threat. "Can you tell me where straw-hat was headed?"

"No," Slade said, "But this can." The villain pulled himself to his feet, removing a small remote from his belt. "I left a tracker on my stone. This device knows wherever it's at—and right now it's with Luffy." An image of an island appeared, with a boat and ocean near it. "Are you familiar with that island?" He asked.

"I am!" Tashigi exclaimed, peeking at the tracker over her superior's shoulder. "That's Ianoa Island! It's real close by!" She traced her finger along a dotted line on the screen. "If that's straw-hat's trail, then we should be able to beat them there easily on this course!"

"That's the best news I've heard all day." Smoker smiled. "Now get that cell ready, Tashigi." Both the girl and Slade were taken by surprise.

"Come now." Slade coaxed in his smooth voice. "Both of our enemies have joined forces. Shouldn't we be allies as well?" He saw the doubt in Smoker's eyes. "Understandable. But I guarantee that if I get that stone, I can beat all of our enemies without breaking a sweat."

"Well now…" Smoker said, trailing into his thoughts. Turning, he extended his hand. "Partners, then?"

"It's a deal." Slade said, shaking the captain's hand firmly.

"Tashigi!" Captain Smoker exclaimed. "Get those sails set! Full speed ahead to Ianoa Island!"

"Aye!" Tashigi returned. "Move it soldiers!" The Marines dashed around the ship, releasing all the sails to their full size. Strong gusts of wind hit home, propelling the massive vessel forward with speeds you wouldn't think possible. The breezes on the Grand Line sure were impressive at times.

'_The fool_.' Smoker thought. '_I can beat that man and straw-hat any day. I'm only using him for convenience right now, but once straw-hat is captured, he's going right to jail. This stone he keeps talking about could be quite valuable, and I think it'll be of much more use with me._' The captain smiled at his own little devious thoughts.

A wide smile spread across Slade's face, although it was obscured by his mask. '_The fool._' He thought as well. '_He's strong in body, but not in mind. I need him because I am new to this world, but once I've retrieved the Iso Toa, he will be useless to me. With the knowledge of his fighting style, I already know how to beat him. And that will almost be as good as defeating the Teen Titans._'

Even sweet little Tashigi seemed to have her own ideas for this mission. '_Straw-hat is here_.' She thought. '_That means Roronoa Zoro is bound to be there too! Finally, I can get payback! Those swords he so quickly uses to murder and plunder are priceless, and they deserve to be protected!_' The girl's eyebrows narrowed into a fierce frown. '_You'll finally pay for deceiving me, Zoro the pirate-hunter!_'

"So let me get this straight." Cyborg repeated. "The world here is separated into four oceans. Where these oceans meet is a place called the Grand Line. This Grand Line—where we are—is a series of islands placed by magnetic patterns."

"Right!" Nami exclaimed, glad somebody understood her. "Those patterns throw off compasses and make it necessary to use these to navigate." The girl held up her wrist, pointing to a compass-like bauble strapped to her wrist. "An indicator reads the magnetic signature of the island and uses it to point us to the next one. Once we reach the end…"

"…We reach the One Piece." Luffy finished, his eyes shining. The One Piece would some day be his ultimate achievement. It was the final treasure, the supreme prize, and the one thing in the world that could help Luffy reach his goal: becoming King of the Pirates.

"Fascinating." Robin echoed, pondering over the information Nami gave him. The world she described, a world of pirates and vast oceans, was nothing like the Earth they knew. "Then I guess your theory was right, Cyborg."

Cyborg pressed a button on his wrist. A view screen shot up, showing nothing but static on its monitor. "Yeah, I first guessed it when I couldn't reach Aqualad on my vid-phone. It should work anyplace on Earth! The only time it didn't work was when the Master of Games brought us to his world. However, now that Nami told us about the Grand Line I'm sure of it: We're in an Alternate Dimension!"

"But if we can't call Aqualad, who will feed my Silkie!" Starfire wailed.

"Oh, I'm sure Silkie can take care of himself." Raven sighed. "We'll just have to buy another couch after he eats this one too."

Nami raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Silkie is my pet baby moth!" Starfire exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she thought of her precious bundle of flesh and teeth. "We have so much fun together! We eat, and read, and then I feed it ag—"

"Fascinating." Nami sighed, "But I was talking about the 'alternate dimension' idea Robin mentioned."

"Oh, that." Robin sat up, brushing his cape aside. "There are many alternate worlds that take up the same place in space, yet vibrate at different wavelengths. There are thousands of alternate worlds—or dimensions—each a little different from the others."

"The closer one world is to another, the more similar they are." Cyborg interjected. "For example: One world that must be right next to ours sports a version of Robin—only a bit twisted and with a magic finger." Robin grunted; he was still trying to forget their disastrous encounter with Larry. "I'm guessing this world and ours must be very far apart, because they're not anything alike."

"That's confusing." Luffy said, scratching the side of his head. "I don't get it at all." He turned around and walked to a table, picking up a couple of chopsticks. After staring at them for a second, he stuffed them into his mouth and started waving them with his lips. "Look! I'm a walrus!" He exclaimed.

Nami smacked herself in her forehead. "Oi Luffy…when he doesn't understand something, he does something he does understand. Sadly, that isn't much." Her head sunk low, despising her captain's interruption during an intelligent discussion.

"Look, he's doing the Walrus impression!" Usopp exclaimed as he stepped onto the deck from the back of the ship. Both Terra and Beast Boy followed him. "I love this one!" The sniper laughed, desperately fumbling across a table looking for his own set of chopsticks. Nami blushed even more, realizing that Chopper was really the only other person on this boat who wasn't insane in some way.

"Hey, that's pretty good!" Beast Boy laughed. "Now, watch this!" The changeling's little green body seemed to explode as it shifted into a walrus. It was a perfect transformation, if you ignored the creature's green skin. Luffy's eyes bulged as the chopsticks fell from his mouth.

"Incredible!" the captain exclaimed. "Let me feel!" Luffy leaped onto the shape shifter, who was slammed back against the railing. The force of Beast Boy's heavy form being slammed against the deck sent the entire ship reeling to one side. The green boy returned to normal, pushing the rubberman off of him and onto his back. Again Luffy gasped; however, he was not surprised by Beast Boy's actions. He had already forgotten what the entire thing was about.

"Look at that!" Luffy cried, mouth hanging ajar. Soaring far above the Merry Go was a giant pink and yellow bird. It must have been three times larger than the ship, with fluffy purple feathers grouped around its neck and wings. It was a beautiful sight, but the simple-minded captain had only one thought in his rubber head. "FOOD!" Luffy cried, throwing his arms backwards and letting them stretch across the ship.

"No you idiot!" Nami screamed. "We'll reach land in only an hour or two! You can wait until then!" Luffy wasted no time as his arms reached their limits and he threw them forward.

"Rubber…ROCKET!" The rubberman cried as his elastic arms and open hands latched onto the creature's fluffy tail. The bird squawked as it felt its tail being tugged; it nearly took a double take when it saw Luffy hanging from its own tail.

"I'm guessing he does this a lot?" Raven asked. Nami sighed, nodding weakly as she slipped backwards into her seat.

"One of you might want to stop him." Zoro suggested from his position of sweet slumber in the shadows besides the stairs. "If we don't, he's just going to get carried off again."

"Got'em!" Cyborg cried, leaping forward and grabbing the rubberman's legs. The cybernetic warrior waved his legs frantically, searching for footing. Failing, he too was lifted into the air as Luffy's elastic body began to retract. Just as he thought he was a goner, he felt another force pulling him down.

"No, I have got you." Starfire smiled, squeezing her arms tighter around Cyborg's eyes. Green flames burned in her eyes, a sign that her full Tamarian strength was at work. She groaned loudly as she tried to pull them back towards the ship, but it was slowly starting to be left behind. "I can't do it!" The alien girl cried.

"What's all the ruckus?" Sanji asked, kicking open the door of the kitchen. Tony Tony Chopper was at his feet. "Star-kun!" The cook gasped as he saw his crush about to be dragged away by his captain's stupidity. "Luffy you moron!" He exclaimed, balling his hands into a fist as his one visible eyebrow arched into a fierce frown.

Chopper didn't waste a moment taking action. He leaped onto the railing, jumping into the air. When he landed, his body had changed into the body of a normal reindeer—with a pink top hat on his head—dashing across the deck. He referred to this simply as his "speed mode." Reaching the front of the ship, the reindeer leaped, again changing shapes. This time he switched to his "strength mode", the final natural transformation provided to Chopper by the Devil's Fruit. This form was rather humanoid, although much larger and bulkier than the normal human; plus, he was still covered with brown fur and topped off by the battered pink hat. Wrapping one thick arm around Starfire's leg, he wrapped the other around the railing of the ship. Now they would be able to keep up with the bird, but Chopper couldn't hang on for much longer.

"Let go Luffy!" Nami begged one more time. Unfortunately, by this time the captain's hunger had totally dominated his mind. He leaned back his head, throwing it forward as his neck stretched out and wrapped around the bird's leg. Luffy started licking the tender meat. Another panicked caw came from the creature as it flapped even harder, trying with all its might to get the freak off. That effort failed, but it did succeed in pulling the Merry Go faster than it had ever gone before. Streams of water leaped from each side of the vessel as it burned salt-water, so to speak.

Terra grew frustrated not being able to help. So, she would just have to try something else. "Why don't you two do something to help already?" She cried, thwacking Beast Boy and Usopp across the back of their heads.

"I'm on it!" Beast Boy exclaimed, leaping into the air and transforming into a Pterodactyl. He flapped his mighty green wings as hard as he could, finally flying above the creature's head. The changeling then became a hippopotamus, dropping onto the bird's head with a thud. Not a flinch.

Usopp pulled his slingshot and a small bullet from his green sack. He set the bullet into the sling, pulling back as hard as he could. His hand shook as he moved it back and forth, making sure his aim was just perfect. "There it is!" Usopp exclaimed, knowing that now was the time to attack. "Explosive Shot!" The tiny ball of explosives soared forward, landing on the side of the creature's head with a stifled explosion. Again, the bird didn't flinch. The only way you could even tell it happened was a small patch of smoke floating in the air. The sniper sighed, lowering his weapon. 'Looks like Beast Boy wins this one too' he thought.

The green hippo quickly shifted into a gorilla, who reached his hands far behind his head to strike the creature. Unfortunately, the bird was going far too fast, and Beast Boy was nearly blown off. He shifted instantaneously into a lemur, digging his tiny little claws into the fur on the back of its head. Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into his head! Beast Boy threw himself forward, his small body increasing its size ten fold as it became a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Finally a decent enough size to deal with the bird, he wrapped his tail around its neck.

The creature made one final dive as it started spinning, desperately trying to get everybody off its back! Luffy's body was wound up just like when he fought Slade, but he didn't even notice. In Monkey D. Luffy's world, food was the only thing important right now. He finally took one last lick before opening his mouth wide and chomping down straight into the creature's leg. The pain was the stimulus the bird needed for its second wind. Slamming its leg backwards, Luffy's neck slipped and snapped back into place. The recoil caused Luffy to lose his grip, and he snapped back onto the ship, spinning all the while. Of course, he ran into Cyborg, sending the robot, Starfire, and Chopper flying into the deck. Chunks of wood were missing from beneath them.

"Wait, come back!" Luffy called. "You were tasty!"

"Look at the ship." Sanji groaned. "This is going to take a lot of work to fix."

"Then you should have done something to help!" Nami screamed, backhanding the cook. Zoro laughed at his rival's comeuppance. "That goes for you too, Mr. I'm-too-busy-sleeping-to-ever-help-out!" She cried, whirling her leg into the side of his head. As the two warriors lay on their sides, twitching, she brushed the dust off her legs and snuck a peek at her indicator. "I wonder how far off course this took us."

"It doesn't look like it did at all." Chopper said, smiling. He pointed forward, straight to the island several feet ahead. The bird had actually taken them straight to their destination!

"So what do we do now that we're here?" Terra asked. "We obviously can't catch a plane, like we had hoped."

"I guess we'll have to get home the same way we came." Robin said, fingering the Stone of Iso Toa between his gloved fingers. "Unfortunately, I have no idea how far this thing reacts—we need to find a safe place to test it out."

"Well then," Nami smiled, "I guess you guys can help us stock up on supplies first then."

"No, first we're going to eat!" Luffy cried, jumping onto the dock and running into the city.

"Come back here you moron!" The eleven others screamed. The Straw Hats and Teen Titans jumped off the Merry Go, storming onto land like a fast moving dust cloud. Their leader seemed oblivious to it all, worried about nothing but his next meal. Unfortunately, they all needed to be a bit more alert. None of them had any clue how many sets of eyes were watching them on this island; eyes that wanted only to see their destruction.

Next Time: To Defend a Dream—The Boy Who Will Become Pirate King


	4. Chapter 4

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter Four: To Defend a Dream—The Boy Who Will Become Pirate King**

The doors to the kitchen swung as the cook walked through them. His whole body, even the fluffy white hat, drooped as tears streamed from his eyes. He was dragging a suitcase in one hand, and waving a little white flag in the other. He slowly moved past the bustling table in the otherwise abandoned restaurant, not bothering to dodge the chunks of flesh flying through the air.

Monkey D. Luffy's arms were flailing wildly as he shoved food into his mouth, completely ignoring the spray of meat raining across the room. His plate quickly emptied, and as his rubber hands grabbed nothing the young captain quickly noticed that there was no more food.

"That was fantastic! Now for the main course!" Luffy exclaimed. "More!" He held his plate into the air, tapping the side with a fork. The cook cast a final glance backwards, bursting into hysteric tears as he ran from the restaurant.

"Good riddance, crap cooker." Sanji snarled, turning his nose from the lumps of food lying on his plate. "Honestly Luffy, you'll eat anything put in front of you." The cook looked at his plate once more, contemplating whether he was hungry enough to eat this rubbish or not.

"So does that mean you're not going to eat it?" Luffy asked eagerly, not waiting for an answer as he launched his elastic arm across the table and grabbed Sanji's plate.

"I never said that!" Sanji exclaimed, leaping across the table and tackling his captain to the ground. "Remember, I haven't eaten in nearly a day either!" The two men wrestled across the floor of the restaurant, toppling tables and overturning chairs. Unfortunately for them, they had left the actual food sitting on the table. In one simple gesture, Raven's darkness flowed over the food, distributing it to the other people at the table.

"Sheesh, you'd think they were the starving children in India mom always used to talk about." Robin sighed.

"Oh well," Cyborg smiled, "more for us." He tossed his plate into the air. It fell into his open mouth, and seconds later he spat the plate back on to the table.

A waitress peeked her head around one of the few tables left standing. Finally summoning the last of her courage, she ventured to the middle of the room and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry folks, but we're officially out of food now. I'm afraid you'll have to leave." Luffy screamed as Sanji pushed him away, jumping to his feet and running to the waitress.

"Are you sure you want me to leave?" Sanji asked, a drop of hormone-inspired drool hanging from his chin next to his cigarette. "I'm sure we could do some cooking between us, if you get my drift." The waitress tried to back away, nearly tripping over one of the overturned chairs. Suddenly, a black aura draped itself around Sanji's suit, pulling him into the air. He turned towards Raven, whose hand was enveloped in the darkness keeping him away from the cute waitress!

"This isn't funny!" Sanji exclaimed, struggling to escape his enchanted suit coat. Raven smiled, and a spark of black energy exploded at the end of his cigarette, snuffing out the flame. "I really don't like you." The cook sighed, going limp. He knew when he was beaten. The Teen Titans and the Straw Hats left the restaurant, their mark indelibly left behind forever. Only Roronoa Zoro remained behind, eyeing his companions and waiting for their departure.

"If you need any help hanging the going out of business sign, just give me a call." Zoro whispered once he was sure everybody had left. "I always need some extra money." The waitress cocked her head, still trying to comprehend this entire day.

"ZORO! Are you coming or not?" Nami called.

"Dammit! She heard me!" Zoro exclaimed, starting to slink away from the waitress. "Remember, I need some money." He called back to her.

"You better not be trying to make money behind my back!" Nami called again, her inherent greediness even apparent in her voice. "You still owe me for your new swords, remember?"

"Quiet woman!" the swordsman screamed as he left the building. "If we didn't need you to navigate I'd have sliced your greedy little head off ages ago!"

The poor little waitress turned her head to the wrecked dining room, nearly passing out at the sight of the damage. "This is the last time I serve pirates." She sighed.

The little troop trudged through the coastal town on Iaona Island. Luffy walked happily in front of the rest, his arms resting across his shoulders and his gaze turned towards the beautiful blue sky. Now that he was filled up, he could enjoy the wonderful life he enjoyed as a pirate.

Nami's eyes darted down her long list. "Well, we've eaten well beyond our fill, but we still need a lot of supplies for the ship. Plus, we have to buy some lumber to repair the deck that our Captain so carelessly filled with holes." She looked up, waving her finger as she counted her companions. "We should split up. Zoro: you, Cyborg, Sanji and Luffy should go get the lumber. The rest of us—"

"Look everybody!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing to a rooftop. Two humanoid silhouettes were standing on the edge. "Aren't those the weirdest wind-veins ever?" he asked.

"Yes, they are quite unique." Starfire remarked. "Perhaps their odd shape is meant to scare away large, fluffy birds?" she suggested.

"Hey, I know!" Terra exclaimed. "Usopp, see if you can hit one!" Nami sighed, burying her face in her hands. With Captain ADD and his crew of pranksters, they'd never get any work done!

"Got it Terra!" The sniper responded, pulling his sling from the green sack hanging from his shoulder. He dropped a Pachinko ball into the back, pulling back and taking aim. "Pachinko Shot!" Usopp cried as he let it fly. His impeccable aim once again proved true as the marble-like ball bounced off of the silhouette's head. "See Terra? I hit it!" He exclaimed.

"Ouch!" The silhouette cried. Usopp's mouth dropped to the ground, and the coward quickly stashed his slingshot away.

"Did that wind-vein just talk?" Chopper asked. The little reindeer's eyes grew wide as he hid behind Nami's legs, not taking any chances. Both shadows leaped off the building, landing nimbly on the ground. The one Usopp hit walked forward, emerging from the darkness. He wore a strange get-up; his clothes were easiest described as pretty much what we would expect traditional pirates to wear in our world. However, he wasn't _just_ a pirate. This guy had white paint on his face and a huge, round red nose.

"How's it going Luffy?" He asked, tipping his large, black pirate hat. "Long time no see!"

"Buggy the Clown!" Nami exclaimed, jumping a foot.

"And don't forget me." The other silhouette said, revealing herself. She was wearing a white cowboy hat and a strange red dress. She was gorgeous, perhaps the most beautiful pirate on the sea. "What's up, Captain Handsome?"

"Not much, Alvida-sama." Sanji answered, his grin covering his entire face. "Just the usual: cooking for these heat—"

"She wasn't talking to you, Sanji!" Usopp exclaimed, smacking the cook across the back of his head. "She said _Captain_ Handsome; therefore, she must have been talking to me."

Luffy ignored his infatuated crew. Captain Alvida's Devil Fruit induced beauty did nothing to his tiny brain. He had no intelligence for such things as love.

"So why are you guys back here?" Luffy asked. "Do you need me to kick your asses again?" He smiled, ready for a good fight.

"I can say with certainty that you never hit me there before; although I wouldn't mind it." Alvida smiled. "You are the only man to have hit me anywhere, and I loved the pain. And for that I will follow you to the ends of the Earth."

"You really are a freak." Buggy laughed.

"You're no better!" Nami exclaimed. "When are you going to get over Luffy beating you and leave us alone?"

"Never!" Buggy cried. "I will not accept defeat by anyone who wears the hat of Shanks! That red-haired loser betrayed me, and you will pay the price for his insolence!"

"Um…what's going on here?" Beast Boy asked, completely lost as to the situation.

"Red-haired Shanks is one of the most famous pirates in the world. He was known for his straw hat. He passed that hat down to Luffy after Shanks saved his life, saying to return it when he became famous." Nami informed them. "That clown, Buggy, was a former crewmate of Shanks long before he became a Captain. He claims that Shanks ruined his life by forcing him to eat the Devil's Fruit they found. He wants revenge on Luffy—as Shanks' protégé—for both that incident and his earlier defeat at Luffy's hands."  
"Wow." Beast Boy gasped. "What about the pretty one?"

"That's Alvida." Zoro said. "She's another Pirate after Luffy because of an earlier fight."

"She used to be really ugly and fat." Luffy laughed.

"Until the Devil's Fruit made her the picture of feminine perfection!" Sanji cried.

"Will you all shut up!" Buggy screamed, finally bringing silence to the frenzy. "Can't I threaten Luffy without all these interruptions!"

"All you're doing is insulting Shanks!" Luffy exclaimed. "If you want to fight me, just do it already! We have things to do!"

"Oi, now you want to work." Nami sighed. "Figures. He'll be back to chasing shadows after this. What will I do with him?"

"What do you have to do?" Buggy taunted. "Become Pirate King? That'll never happen, kid. You're nothing compared to Shanks, and he couldn't do it! What makes you think you can possibly become Pirate King?"

"Stop it!" Luffy commanded, clenching his hands into tight fists.

"Face it! You're weak, Shanks is weak, and you'll fall to me right here right now!" Buggy cried, his voice booming as his eyes widened. The pirate-clown looked deranged.

"That's it! I'll kick your ass!" Luffy screamed. Suddenly, he was held back by a green glove. Robin walked forward, his cape flittering in front of the enraged rubber boy.

"You're despicable, Buggy." Robin spat. His eyes narrowed into slits, a frown crossing his face. "You chase Luffy endlessly, only to insult his dream and his hero? Well, Luffy isn't the only one with a dream. He isn't the only one with a hero he would do anything to surpass and make proud!" Images of the Dark Knight flashed through the Boy Wonder's head. Starfire stepped backwards, a bit frightened. She had no idea Robin felt this way!

"What are you talking about?" Buggy asked, his head cocked to the side. "And just what makes you think you can stand up to me this way?"

"I'm talking about fighting you!" Robin exclaimed. He leaped into the air, his silhouette blocking the sun like an eclipse as he flipped through the sky. "For all those who have a dream, and for all those striving to prove something to somebody: I will take you down!" He began to fall towards the clown, thrusting his powerful fist in front of him. "I'll beat you right in your big red nose!"

"What!" Buggy exclaimed.

"No!" Nami cried, jumping backwards. "I can't believe he mentioned the nose!" Veins seemed to explode on Captain Buggy's forehead. The enraged pirate snuck both hands into his jacket; as they came out, four daggers were positioned in each hand—one resting between each finger. Robin connected, his fist smashing incredibly straight into Buggy's nose. The two remained motionless for a second as the impact shocked through both of them; then, strangely enough, Buggy's head slipped right off of his shoulders.

"Oh no!" Robin exclaimed, jumping backwards. "I guess I hit him too hard."

"Sure kid, think what you want." Buggy's voice said. Robin jumped backwards, looking for the source. "But you'll be wishing you hit me harder!" The headless body leaped forward, swiping with both arms in an X-shaped pattern. Eight sharp daggers shredded though Robin's tunic, leaving scars across his stomach. The boy wonder grabbed his chest in agony, falling to his knees. Blood stained his forest-green gloves.

"You shall pay for hurting my Robin!" Starfire exclaimed, leaping over her crush. Her righteous-fury exploded within her, unleashing itself through her eyes in the form of a focused green beam of energy. It exploded on impact with the headless body, pushing it across the landscape. Shimmering Starbolts formed around of each of the alien girl's palms as she charged forwards, pelting the assaulter all the while.

Robin tried to pull himself to his feet, but another sharp pain knocked him right back to the ground. "Stay still." Raven commanded, appearing at the boy's side—out of nowhere, as she usually did. She held out both hands, and a black field of sickly energy formed around them, spreading until it engulfed both fighters. The scars running across the teen's stomach receded, healing themselves due to Raven's mystical powers.

Chopper gasped at the amazing healing power; he wished he could do that! "You should stay back Robin!" He exclaimed anyway. "Your body might not be ready to fight again that soon after being injured!"

"I'm not staying back!" Robin exclaimed. "These guys have bothered you long enough! We'll take them down as payment for you guys helping us all this time! TITANS, GO!"

Starfire lunged forward, throwing another Starbolt. This time the headless body jumped above it. However, she followed up with one final beam from her eyes. As it was about to hit, however, a streak intercepted it. The Starbeam hit Alvida square in the stomach, dispersing all around her. She looked completely unharmed; in fact, a smile spread across the female pirate's face.

"I'm not going to let my partner get hurt." She reminded Starfire. "My Devil's Fruit not only brought out my beauty, but it gave me skin that nothing can hurt! Any attack slips right off me, no matter what!"

Buggy's hand snapped off his wrist, flying past the Tamaranian and retrieving his head. It floated back, tossing the pirate's head back onto his neck and reattaching itself as well. "And my Chop Chop Fruit ability allows me to reassemble and assemble my body as I will!" Starfire's eyes grew wide as she marveled at their power; floating into the air a bit more, the five other Teen Titans assembled beneath her.

"I can't let Alvida block our attacks!" Robin exclaimed. "Cyborg, Beast Boy, Terra! Get her out of the way!"

"Do you think it's smart to let them fight alone?" Sanji asked, watching the remarkable fighting force known as the Teen Titans combat the two pirates.

"Why not?" Luffy asked. "Robin seemed real determined, and they're fun to watch."

Zoro smiled a bit at his Captain's continued naivety. Then he started backing up, into the shadows of the street behind him. He was useless at this point anyway: Swords slipped right off of Alvida, and right through Buggy with no harm. In a second, Roronoa Zoro was gone.

"I'm on it Robin!" Terra exclaimed, thrusting both her arms into the air. Her hair began to stand on end as yellow energy billowed around her, flaring uncontrollably. "Man it feels good to be on land again!" She added as the energy moved, focusing around her palms. Rocks shot up all around Alvida, forming a cylindrical barrier. With a scream the Earth-mover shoved her arms to the side; the rock fortress followed suit, moving Alvida from her position shielding Buggy and out of Robin's way.

"Good job!" Robin complimented, not wasting a breath as he charged the rock's path and landed his steel-enforced boot straight into the collapsible pirate's gut. Buggy was sent flying and Robin leaped forward, Starfire and Raven swooping in behind.

Beast Boy charged forward, leaping into the air and rolling into a somersault. As he came out of it, he had already transformed into a Pterodactyl. The extinct green creature swooped down low, and Cyborg grabbed onto his legs, catching a free ride. Beast Boy flew over Alvida's prison, Cyborg's arm snapping and shifting into his dangerous Sonic Cannon.

"Eat this!" Cyborg commanded, launching off a fearsome blue blast into the rocks. It exploded as the blast hit home. "Booyah!" Cyborg exclaimed—however, his glee quickly disappeared as the smoke cleared. Alvida had not a scratch on her—in fact, even the smoke just seemed to be slipping right off her!

"Men are so pigheaded." Alvida sighed. "I told them this would happen." She heard a scream from above her, and looked up to see Cyborg dropping, both arms pulled far behind his head. As he hit the ground he threw them forward, hitting the lady pirate like a sledgehammer. Yet—as predicted—his Earth-shaking assault simply slipped down her, sending the cybernetic warrior straight onto his face.

Beast Boy was already following up his friend's assault, swinging his primate arms from behind. The limp punches didn't even seem to hit and instead sent the green baboon stumbling, as if he was tipsy. He quickly shifted down to a wolf, lunging and sinking his teeth straight into the gorgeous villain's arm. Of course, they didn't make it into the meat at all and instead slid off. The unexpected miss caused all four of Beast Boy's feet to fall from beneath him. Alvida threw her foot up, sending a high-heeled kick right into the poor little shape shifter's face.

"Hey!" Terra exclaimed, throwing her hands up as a rock beneath her dislodged itself from the ground and hurled itself—and her on it—straight towards Alvida. "Only I can hurt Beast Boy!" The lady turned and saw the incoming projectile. If she was worried, she didn't show it; Alvida leaped into the air, kicking off her left shoe with her right foot. Landing on the bare foot, she bent and let the rock hit her other foot. It did no harm whatsoever, and instead pushed her along on her frictionless bare foot.

"No Terra! Stop!" Cyborg exclaimed. Her rocky-ride pushed Alvida straight into him; she spun, sweeping her leg below the robot. Then she finally stood up straight, letting Terra's vehicle slip up her back like a ramp and straight into the air. The little Earth-mover scrambled frantically to get a firm hold on it as it tumbled out of control in the sky.

Hearing another sound, Alvida looked down to see a burst of fire explode from Cyborg's feet. Propelling him through the air, he landed a fierce uppercut straight into the lady's chin. Of course, it simply slipped straight up her deceptively-delicate looking neck. Captain Alvida's arm reached behind her coat and emerged carrying a surprise: a large, spiked club!

"Uh-oh. That's not go—" Cyborg never got time to finish his statement as the weapon collided with his metal midsection. He was sent tumbling across the plaza, but as he tumbled his two shoulders opened with a hiss, unleashing four missile pods! Alvida didn't flinch as the projectiles soared towards her, spewing smoke in their wake.

As the rock fell close enough to the ground, Terra flipped over it, landing and instantly thrusting her hands forwards. If their attacks couldn't hurt Captain Alvida, she knew of one force that still had effect on her! The missiles hit their mark—they had no effect, but served their purpose regardless. Alvida had been held still just long enough! With a tremendous scream, Terra threw her arms up into the air. The ground beneath the lady pirate imitated them, and a tremendous rock pillar burst from beneath Lady Alvida. It rose nearly thirty feet into the air, stranding Alvida on top a lonely plateau.

"Beast Boy!" Terra exclaimed, knowing he was their only hope for the plan to work. "Keep her there!"

The shape shifter pulled himself to his feet, still rubbing the puncture wound on his face. "I don't know what you're planning, but I'll do it anyway!" He ran forward, leaping into the air and becoming a mighty hawk as he soared up the side of the stone pillar.

"Thanks for the perfect slope!" Lady Alvida called, kicking her other shoe off and leaping into the air. "I'll get enough momentum this way to knock you all out in one attack! Slippery Slide!" However, just as she moved to slide down the side, the green hawk swooped up the edge, shifting into a massive gorilla the second it came within attacking distance. His massive hands grabbed Alvida. They slid right off, of course, but still managed to keep her up there. He landed and became a kangaroo, throwing killer punches left and right. The pirate shrugged them right off, spinning her club for another attack. Just before impact Beast Boy became a turtle, and was batted far into the air. He ended his flight by shifting into a Flying Squirrel, and the cute little creature waved his paw goodbye.

"Goodbye?" Alvida asked. Suddenly she got her answer in the form of two screams from below. Terra launched a yellow beam, and Cyborg another sonic blast. The two projectiles collided on opposite sides of the stone pillar, completely demolishing it. As Captain Alvida felt herself falling, she realized she had been duped. Their attacks could do nothing to her, but gravity sure could! Alvida fell the rest of the distance, landing on the ground with a thud—knocked unconscious by the impact. Cyborg and Terra both fell to their knees, exhausted. Beast Boy just floated to the ground, enjoying being a flying squirrel.

As Buggy was still flying from Robin's last kick, he whirled around for another roundhouse. "Chop Chop Evasion!" Buggy announced as his body split in half, his foot flying right through the two parts. The clown-pirate reconnected and threw himself forward, landing a skull-shattering headbutt. As Robin stumbled backwards Buggy lunged in with his daggers again.

"No you will not!" Starfire commanded, tossing a Starbolt at his hand. Buggy allowed his hand to be knocked off as the green energy tore it away. However, he then span and threw his other disconnected hand towards the alien girl.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with other people's knives?" He asked. "Chop Chop Stab!" As his disembodied hand grew ever closer to Star's chest, Raven appeared behind her, waving her hand. A black strip of energy correspondingly appeared in front of her, blocking the daggers. Both hands flung backwards, reattaching themselves to the pirate's decorated arms. Robin pulled himself onto his feet, and the pirate-clown was faced by three enraged Teen Titans. With a laugh Buggy threw his arms to the side, tossing the daggers forward. Raven threw both hands forward, unleashing a wave of blackness that moved across the battlefield like a tsunami. Taking control of the daggers, they turned around and shot straight towards Captain Buggy. In only a second all eight weapons were protruding from his body.

Buggy looked down at the daggers sticking out of his chest and laughed. Breathing in, he puffed up his stomach and they popped right out. However, as he looked up Robin was already dashing in for an assault, the two girls following close. The pirate did a back flip, launching his feet like rockets in the process. They each soared into one of the females' stomachs, sending them flying backwards. Robin screamed, landing a punch in the clown's stomach as he was still recovering. His bare ankles skidded across the ground as the punch pushed him forward. "Chop Chop Slice!" Buggy yelled, ignoring the attack that just hit and instead splitting his body into three. A piece of his chest shot forward and hit the Boy Wonder hard in the gut, sending him tumbling across the battlefield on his back. His body then retracted, the three pieces of body reconnecting and topping off the roaming feet.

"You guys sure are fun!" Buggy exclaimed, pulling more daggers from his flashy jacket. "But I still have to fight Luffy! It's time to go down now!" He dashed forward, swinging wildly at Robin. The teen powerhouse propelled himself into the air—and over the assault—with his arm. Starfire rushed in under him, tossing more or her translucent green beams into the fight. Again Captain Buggy's body split in half, the Starbolts flying harmlessly through his chest. As he reconnected, he tried to dissect her instead.

"Starfire!" Robin exclaimed. Sending himself into a fierce spin, he pulled a Redbird projectile from his belt and hurled it with the pinpoint precision only he had. The whirling plastic boomerang hit its mark, blowing right past Buggy's hand and knocking the daggers right out. Buggy's jaw dropped; however, Starfire only laughed as she hurled her leg into the air, kicking the clown with her tremendous Tamaranian strength. Meanwhile, Robin pulled another Redbird from his belt. As he caught the first he stuck them together. Pressing a secret button, the two weapons combined together, creating a mighty red sword.

The Boy Wonder dashed forward, swinging the sword. Buggy was still landing, and never even noticed the impressive saber rip straight through his chest. However, the pirate just laughed as his entire arm detached, heading straight for Robin's chest. The Teen Titan quickly parried it with his sword, but as he did so Buggy completely reassembled himself and came in for another swipe. His four daggers met with the red weapon, and as the two fearsome warriors squared off, Buggy's other hand flew straight towards his opponent's back.

"Robin, watch out!" Starfire exclaimed. She couldn't block it in time!

"That's fighting dirty!" Robin complained. Keeping a firm grasp on his sword with one hand, he passed his other across his belt, accessing his staff. He twisted his body, holding Buggy back with the sword, and Buggy's hand off with his staff.

"Looks like I've got you cornered." Buggy growled, a huge grin covering his white face.

"Not quite!" Robin exclaimed, moving his feet. With a ferocious spin he leaped into the air, completely twisting around. His sword, having gained more than enough momentum, shattered the daggers in his floating hand. As Robin's staff headed toward the rest of the pirate, it extended, planting its end right in Buggy's neck. The clown was hurled down an empty alley, slamming against a building at the end. As he came to, rubbing his head and swearing under his breath, he noticed the shadows in the alley retreating. They gathered around the hands of Raven, who was floating right above him. Showing no emotions, she thrusted her hands below her and sent the shadows piling on top of the pirate. Captain Buggy laid spread on the ground; it seemed at first he had been beaten, but he started to move again. It seemed he wasn't defeated yet.

With a frown, Raven shot further into the air. "Azarath…" She chanted, the force of the powers she was controlling blowing her cape into the air. "…Metrion…" Waves of dark energy emanated from her hands, undulating through the air like evil lightning. "…Zinthos!" She exclaimed. The darkness wrapped itself around an anchor and chain sitting on a nearby boat. Buggy screamed as he leaped to his feet, but sweeping her arms, the anchor crashed next to the pirate, knocking him into the sky. The chain, still covered in darkness, wrapped itself around every imaginable surface of Captain Buggy. It fell to the ground.

"Quick Robin, get him before he escapes!" She commanded. The other two Titans nodded, running forward. Starfire swooped down low, grabbing Robin and flying high into the air. She let go, leaving him to flip through the sky as she soared higher. The Boy Wonder pulled a disk of explosives from his belt and hurled it straight below him—right to where Buggy was resting. With his other hand he pulled a grappling hook from his belt—shooting it into a nearby building and using it to pull himself out of the line of fire. Starfire hovered directly above him.

"This is the end Buggy!" She exclaimed. The biggest Starbolt she had ever created formed on the end of her two hands. Screaming, she threw it below her. Buggy's eyes grew big as he frantically struggled to escape the grip of the chain. Even if just one part of him could escape out, he might still win! Alas, Raven's powers held him still just long enough. Robin's explosives and Starfire's Starbolt both hit home at the same moment, exploding in a blinding flash of green. As the green smoke cleared, Buggy was lying unconscious at the bottom of a large crater.

The mouths of the Straw Hats fell to the ground. "That was incredible!" Luffy cried, running onto the former battlefield and sweeping Robin off his feet. The other Titans collapsed onto their knees, exhausted. The Boy Wonder passed out in the rubberman's arms.

"Aww, he passed out." Luffy sighed, slinging Robin over his shoulder. "Oh well, let's get him some food. That should make him feel better!"

"Oh no you don't!" Nami exclaimed. "He fought hard just to uphold your honor; we're going to treat him well!" Ripping Robin from her captain's arms, she laid him on the ground. "Chopper, you have the honors." The little doctor nodded, pulling some instruments from his pink backpack. The reindeer doctor was now in.

Captain Smoker lowered his goggles, letting them fall back down his neck. He and Slade stood on a rooftop on the other side of the island. Slade also lowered his binoculars, snickering to himself.

"What's so funny?" Smoker asked, annoyed. "The entire purpose of me releasing Buggy and Alvida was so that you could see the Straw Hat's true power! The entire thing backfired!"

"True." Slade admitted. "However, you instead got to witness the power of my enemies. Now you see the power I have been fighting against." He laughed again. "You say that none of the Straw Hat's can stand to your smoke abilities, right?" The captain nodded. "Then with that on our side, and the Titans weakened, we should have no problem getting my stone back."

"So you're saying we should strike now while they're still exhausted?" Smoker asked. This time Slade nodded. The Captain laughed. "That's fine with me. Tashigi! Call the troops." He received no response. "Tashigi?" Smoker asked again, scanning the entire rooftop. His assistant was nowhere to be found.

Tashigi stormed down an empty street. She knew Zoro had to be around there somewhere; she had seen him leave the battle with her binoculars!

"It's no use hiding, Roronoa Zoro." She growled. "You will pay for what you have done, one way or another!"

Next Time: The Foretold Arrival—Zoro vs. the Crystal Swordsman


	5. Chapter 5

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter Five: The Foretold Arrival—Zoro vs. the Crystal Swordsman**

"Here's the last of them." Chopper grunted, lowering his bulky form and resting the fifth Teen Titan against the wall of the ship. They were all out cold, battered and exhausted from the fight with Buggy and Alvida. Only Raven stayed conscious, her incredible healing abilities working wonders almost instantly.

The reindeer shrunk, resuming his true form. The tiny doctor started pulling his instruments from the pink bag he wore on his back, laying bandages across the floor. "I'll take care of them." He assured his fellow pirates.

"Great, Chopper." Nami smiled. "Now to repair the ship. Zoro!"

Silence was the answer the navigator received.

"I can't believe him!" She screamed, stomping her foot. "Whenever there is work to be done that lazy good-for-nothing just up and disappears!"

"I'll find him Nami-san!" Sanji drooled, popping up behind his love's shoulder. Her chest heaved out as she sighed.

"Fine then." Nami gave up. "I have to get the food supplies, but," She pulled some money from her pocket, slowly handing it to the cook. "Y-You should get the lumber while you're there."

Usopp gasped. Nami never trusted anybody else with her money! Just as the love struck Sanji moved to take the Berries, a black field enveloped the currency and pulled it away.

"Are you really going to let him go out to buy it alone?" Raven asked. "I'll find Zoro—all of you should go get your lumber together." Her gaze moved across Luffy, Sanji, and Usopp. "You better go with them if you want to leave this island anytime this week—that would take much longer than not splitting up for supplies."

Nami smiled. "You're right. Come on boys!" The troop once again left the deck and trudged into town; Sanji followed joyously, Luffy seemed oblivious, and Usopp grumbled under his breath.

A wry smile crawled across Raven's face as well. Now she could see what this Zoro guy was really about. Her body retreated into a rapidly growing ball of darkness, which phased into the ground and disappeared. Tony Tony Chopper stared on in wonder.

"I'll never get used to that." The reindeer said in awe.

Zoro set down the mug, foam still resting on the rim. "I'll take another." he grunted, never raising his head to meet the bartender's eyes.

"I think you've had enough." The man said, counting the tally on his paper. His mind boggled at the capacity of this man's stomach. Zoro sighed, quickly slipping off the stool and returning his katanas to their home beneath his belt. How dare this idiot cut him off! If there was one thing Zoro was good at—besides sword fighting—it was holding his liquor. Tossing a few coins onto the counter, the green-haired swordsman walked out the door.

A girl was watching him. Jumping from her stool in the back of the bar, she stealthily moved towards the door.

"Where are you going?" The bartender growled.

Dammit! She had hoped to get out unseen. Her hand passed to the sheath latched to her belt, drawing the sword housed within with amazing speed. The tip of the katana stopped only millimeters away from the bartender's head.

"I should arrest you right now for serving pirates!" Tashigi exclaimed, inching closer. The man squirmed, trying to back up but finding that the table was impeding his progress. He shook, too scared to make a move. "That's what I thought." Tashigi smiled, sheathing her weapon and walking out the door.

The bartender breathed a gigantic sigh of relief. Deciding to forget his close encounter, he swiped up Zoro's mug and collected his change. Examining his wages with pride, his face suddenly contorted into one of rage. This wasn't money! He had been paid in bottle-caps!

Roronoa Zoro actually wore a smirk as he sauntered down the back streets of Ianoa Island. Usopp's seemingly useless collections of worthless trinkets were actually coming in handy. Wouldn't Nami be proud if she knew the money he had saved!

"Roronoa Zoro! Freeze!" A female voice called out.

The swordsman stopped in his tracks, his smile instantly dropping into a frown. He grabbed the handle of a katana, leaning down low and spinning to face his threat.

"Good, you decided to face me after all," Tashigi smiled. "I was afraid you were going to run again, coward."

Zoro's eyes bugged from his head. Not her! If it were a marine armed to the teeth, he wouldn't have cared—but this girl! She was the one person who could get to Zoro. She was the enemy he couldn't kill, the face that haunted him at night.

"Don't you ever get tired of following me wench?" The man asked. His eyes slowly moved back and forth, looking for an escape route. Tashigi may be just an annoyance, but he had far more important things to do: Luffy needed to be warned that marines were on the island!

With a shing her sword had been drawn. "No." Tashigi replied, her eyebrows arching down into a frown. "Each one of those katanas you carry are worth countless berries. Do you really think I'm going to let you use them to commit evil deeds?" Waving the weapon above her head mightily, the marine charged forward. "Now it's time to finish our fight!"

Zoro crouched and launched forward, kicking up a storm of dust behind him. He was so fast that Tashigi instantly lost sight of him. Hearing the sound of metal behind her, the marine swung the sword behind her back—and countered the green-haired fighter's assault perfectly. Zoro pushed off, landing on the ground with a smirk.

"You've gotten faster." He complimented. "Smoker's been taking good care of you I see." Taking a tighter grip on the white handled katana in his hand, he wound his arms and moved his legs into a stance.

"Smoker?" Tashigi laughed. "Actually, I have you to thank." Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Yes. My motivation to stop your treachery has caused me to train until I reached my limits!"

As if to prove her new abilities to the opponent she so desperately sought, Tashigi raised her sword above her head and charged. Gripping the handle tight with both hands, the marine lunged and swiped viciously. Zoro countered each assault expertly, and the fight created a serenade of metal that echoed across the surrounding streets. However, the difference in skill could be seen immediately. Tashigi gave each swipe her all, yet Zoro barely seemed to be paying attention at all, lazily throwing his weapon about in one hand. Anybody else fighting like this would have been skewered by now—but not the accomplished Zoro. People like Tashigi were nothing to the future "best swordsman in the world."

Again the swords met, and both fighters flew backwards from the recoil. With a scream the girl charged again, swinging in from the left. Zoro laughed, tossing his katana from his right hand to the left. Just as he had caught it Tashigi's sword met. However, his grip was just as strong Tashigi's, despite the fact that he barely seemed to try. She pushed against her opponent's weapon, using the force to launch herself into the air. She landed a few feet from Zoro.

"Quit playing around!" She commanded. "You're only doing this because I'm a girl! If I was a man you would have finished me by now!"

Zoro frowned. It was times like these that he hated Tashigi the most: times when she sounded just like _her_. "You want me to get serious?" He asked. "Then so be it!" This time the green-haired swordsman charged forward, taking the offensive. Tashigi was able to block his sword, but his incredible strength nearly knocked her own sword back into her. As she struggled to find an opportunity to move, Zoro slipped his hand to his belt and drew a second katana. It hit its mark, sending the marine's katana flying from her hand. It flipped through the air before landing; it landed blade down, wedged into the ground.

"I can't believe it" Tashigi sighed, dropping to her knees. As she remained stunned, Zoro returned his second weapon to its black and red sheath. Tashigi stared at it. She had been there when he bought it. That sword was a cursed sword, said to kill all its owners. Roronoa Zoro was the first man ever able to properly handle that sword.

The third sword, which had remained undrawn, was housed in a black and silver plated sheath. It was an heirloom of the shop owner's family; Zoro had been granted possession of the treasure because of his skill with the cursed sword. Tashigi fumed—if only she had known the man Zoro truly was, she would have never allowed him to have that weapon!

The final sheath was pure white—a similarly colored sword remained in Zoro's hand. He had never even known the true value of that sword when he walked into the shop with it. If she could just save _that_ sword, she'd give up on the others!

"Why must you shed blood with that sword?" Tashigi asked again, her head hung low. Tears were building in her eyes.

Zoro grunted, lifting his weapon to eye level. "I don't care what you think about my deeds. Call them evil if you wish. However, I also care nothing of the history of this sword! All I care about is the history between its former owner and myself!"

The swordsman's grip tightened as his memory again shifted to that poor girl and the promise he had made so many years ago. He'd become the best swordsman in the world, he had told her. He'd do it for her! And then…when she died…he knew that nothing would prevent him from living up to that promise!

Tashigi couldn't take her eyes off Zoro. The passion that burned in his eyes—she had never seen that in anybody before!

"I will become the best swordsman in the world, and blaze the path to that goal with this sword!" Zoro exclaimed. "I owe her that much! For that reason alone I will never be captured, and I will never give this weapon up!"

Before Tashigi got a chance to respond, Zoro swung his sword. Flipping it in his hand, the hilt of the handle landed on her temple—knocking her out cold. Zoro smirked. Tashigi looked and acted so much like _her_ that there was no way he could kill her.

But that didn't mean he had to like her.

Raven stood on a nearby rooftop. Her long blue cape flittered in the wind as she watched Zoro's fight below. Another smile moved across her usually joy-barren face. She was right all along—there was more to this Zoro than met the eye!

Just then, she heard a voice from a street over. She turned to see another figure leaping from the rooftops. He was hidden by the fierce shadows of the sunset, but there was one feature the gothic hero could see. He had a sword sheathed to his side. It was blood red, not even obscured by the darkness.

Raven shuddered at the sight of it.

Zoro considered moving Tashigi for a second, but then changed his mind. Getting to Luffy and saving his friends was the most important priority right now. As he moved to rush to the aid of his crewmates, he was stopped by another voice.

"So you've finally arrived, Roronoa Zoro!" The voice proclaimed in a deep baritone. Spinning 360, Zoro was faced with the same figure Raven had witnessed only moments before him.

The man had dark black hair that fell across his square-jawed face in stringy wisps. His shirt was a deep shade of purple, and black shoulder plates formed a sort of armor by draping the sides of his chest. High black boots covered his legs up to his knees, and the similarly colored gloves protected his entire forearm—except for his fingers, which stuck right through. A blood red sheath, sword included of course, was attached to his belt.

"What do you want?" Zoro snarled. "I don't have time to play with anybody else."

"But I've been waiting so long for you, Roronoa Zoro." The man whined playfully. "In fact, my entire family has. For generations we've been watching for the legend to come to fruition!" He closed his eyes, obviously reciting the next bit from memory.

"_The power was locked away and hurled where it was never to be found again. But one day it shall return…heralded by the user of _santoryu_. Only then will the great power be restored to whence it came."_

"Santoryu?" Zoro echoed. "But that's…that's my three sword style!"

"Exactly." The man grinned. "Ever since I first heard of Roronoa Zoro I knew you would be the fulfillment to the prophecy. So finally you've arrived to return the great power to me!"

"Great power? Sorry pal, but I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Shame." The stranger sighed, grabbing the hilt of his sword. As he drew it, Zoro noticed that the blade was a deep, crimson hue. It reminded him of something. Of course! It was the same color and texture as the stone of Iso Toa!

The great power that he was after must be that stone! Of course, Zoro didn't have it on him. Even if he had, he would have never given it up. Though they had known their new friends for only a day, they were friends nonetheless. Helping them return home was more important than any threats. Besides, to Roronoa Zoro this guy was nothing but another step on the path to becoming the best swordsman in the world.

Pulling on the knot, he untied the bandanna wrapped around his forearm and put it on his head. "Your prophecy seems like a pile of shit to me," Zoro began, tying the green doo-rag in place. It cast shadows across his face, turning the green-haired man into an intimidating demon. "But I never turn down a challenge from a fellow swordsman." He placed the handle of his white katana in his mouth, clenching down hard with his teeth. He drew both his other weapons, holding a sword in each hand.

The man pointed his blood-red sword towards Zoro, annoyed. "This town was once famous for making the greatest swords in the world. However, we soon took our power from a new source: the stone of Iso Toa. Unfortunately, it was sent away from our town millennia ago by forces unknown." The man frowned, anger oozing from every pour. "You, user of santoryu—the ultimate style of our former lives—you were supposed to herald our second coming and return our power to us!"

"Your writers chose the wrong leading man." Zoro joked. "Either fight me or leave! I don't want to hear anymore of your bullshit!"

"I should have known." He smiled evilly. "The prophecy never said that you would hand it over easily. You probably have your own uses for the stone, don't you?" He pointed his sword forward, the ground beneath him exploding as he launched off. The sword began glowing a deep crimson hue. "Then prepare to face Eehuah the crystal sword—and his guardian, Ian of the Iso-jin!"

Lowering his neck and crossing his arms, all three of Zoro's katanas crossed and blocked Ian's assault. The green-haired swordsman pushed back, and then ducked low as he rushed in. Waving his arms and weaving his neck, the three swords moved like lightning as he attacked relentlessly. Yet, the mysterious fighter's defense was just as good. His rapid swipes and pinpoint precision fended off all three of Zoro's weapons with only just that one deranged-looking sword.

'He's good,' Zoro thought as he ducked beneath a swipe. 'All the better. It's been far too long since I've had a good fight!'

Ian smiled. 'He can fend off Eehuah's attacks. Just as I would have expected. But not even Roronoa Zoro can survive the power of this weapon!'

The crystal swordsman pushed himself into the air, raising his weapon far above his head. It illuminated the semi-dark sky, growing even lighter. "Crimson Blade!" Ian cried, swiping the blade in front of him. The glowing beam of light shot off, heading straight towards Zoro.

The swordsman's eyes grew wide. He tucked his head low and crossed both arms, sticking his swords behind his back. The blade grew close, but just before the strip of energy hit, Zoro raised his head and swung his arms with lightning fast speed. The force of the three katanas blew the crimson blade apart, making it nothing but red sparkles floating behind him.

As Ian touched down on the ground, he could already see Zoro taking another stance. He flipped the blade in his left hand so that all three blades faced in the same direction. This time he took off with super-human speed. Streaks followed his katanas as he charged forward.

"ONI GIRI!" Zoro announced.

Ian's eyes grew wide as he realized he wouldn't be able to parry in time. "SHIELD!" He cried. His sword again glew as that familiar crimson energy formed a wall on its owner's side.

Roronoa Zoro streaked right past the shield, coming to a stop several feet behind it. His knees buckled beneath him, and he could feel the strain on the muscles in his arms. Tearing through that shield was tough! And tear through it he did; only seconds later the energy abruptly dispersed, revealing a stunned Ian. Three long slashes lined his side and arm horizontally. Both warriors seemed hurt.

"Giving up already?" Zoro asked, slowly turning as he moved his focus away from the useless pain and back to the battle. Ian wiped blood off of his sleeve, returning his gaze to his opponent.

"Of course not." He smiled. "Luminescent Whip!" Energy burst forth from Eehuah, staying attached and instead slithering around to Zoro. Ian had created a whip.

Zoro wasted no time in leaping into the air. The leap put him well above roof-level, but the whip only seemed to catch up to him. The swordsman quickly somersaulted, pointing his head straight towards the ground. He crossed all three of his blades. The whip connected only with the katanas, and Zoro began to spin like a top. Using the whip as his track and his blades as wheels, Zoro span his way down the energy whip like a roller-coaster car.

As he reached the end Zoro flipped to his side, swinging the sword in his mouth straight towards Ian's head. The crystal swordsman never flinched as he chomped down, catching the deadly metal bar between his teeth. Drawing his hand back, the luminescent whip collided with Zoro's midsection, sending him tumbling across the city streets. As he returned to his feet a huge red slash could be seen on his chest, dripping blood down what was left of his white shirt. He didn't seem to notice. All he cared about was his sword, still held blade first between his enemy's teeth.

"No you won't! Not with that sword!" Zoro seemed to explode, moving faster than even he had thought possible. Within seconds he appeared at Ian's chest, already past his defenses. "Demonic Cross!" He cried as hurled his two remaining swords forward. Two scars—forming an 'x'—were instantly left on the swordsman's stomach. The sword fell from Ian's mouth as he coughed up blood. Leaping into the air, Zoro caught the katana in his jaws and kicked off the injured warrior's head, landing behind him.

"And that's that." Zoro sighed, moving to sheath his weapons.

"N-Not yet." Ian coughed, climbing back to his feet. In only an instant he seemed to regain his second wind, spinning and swinging his sword. Red wind blew off it, blowing Zoro's shirt off and him backwards. Digging his feet into the ground the green-haired fighter stopped himself. Thrusting his weapons forward, Zoro charged him.

Ian leaped into the air half-heartedly. He knew the possessor of the Iso Toa would have to be extraordinary powerful, but this was absurd! There was only one more way to win, even if it did mean using all of his energy!

"Oh great Eehuah, I call upon your power and that of your mother Iso Toa!" Ian screamed, suddenly levitating. Floating higher into the air, Eehuah's glow blocked out the sky. Zoro grunted. This explained a lot. That sword was somehow related to the Titan's stone! Perhaps this Ian knew how to properly use the Stone of Iso Toa! Unfortunately, it looked like he had already passed up any opportunity to be an ally.

"EEHUAH EXPLOSION!" Ian hollered, thrusting the weapon below him with all his might. Every last drop of energy in the sword launched itself forward, straight towards Zoro. The swordsman took a stance, but then quickly realized that there was no way for him to cut through this sort of attack. Leaping into the air, he turned tail and ran.

"NO!" Zoro exclaimed. "I can't die this way!"

"That's right!" Another voice called. Zoro turned to see Tashigi standing behind him. Finally conscious, she had gathered her sword and was gallantly facing the billowing mass of explosive crimson energy heading towards her. "Only I am allowed to take Roronoa Zoro's life!"

The attack grew only fractions of an inch away from Tashigi. She raised her sword above her head, swiping at the energy. Hitting her sword and the ground, the Eehuah Explosion exploded, of course. Zoro was blown off his feet and smashed into a building behind him. He was fine, but if he had taken that attack face on he would be…

"TASHIGI!" Zoro cried. She couldn't be dead! It would be like losing _her_ all over again! As the crimson smoke cleared, the green-haired swordsman could hear hysterical laughing.

"Do you have a thing for her?" Ian asked. He was carrying an unconscious Tashigi in his arms. "Then I won't kill her—or you. Perhaps a hostage will make you hand the great power over!" The crystal swordsman leaped into the air, landing on the edge of a building. "I'll be back for the great power soon! If you value your life, you'll give it to me then!" He leaped backwards, out of Zoro's line of vision.

Zoro couldn't believe it. Why hadn't he tried to take the stone now?

Raven started to levitate into the air, ready to follow that fiend and rescue Tashigi. However, that's when she heard a grunt from Zoro. The swordsman collapsed to his knees, clutching the wound on his chest.

Frozen for a second, she admired the warrior's chiseled abs and biceps. Only a moment later she jumped, realizing that she couldn't feel that way. She couldn't let her emotions through…not with the consequences it always had for her!

Putting the thought out of her head, the Teen Titan floated to her ally's side.

Once he was several blocks away, Ian fell to one knee. Tashigi fell from his arms, rolling a few feet away on the high rooftop. The crystal swordsman was breathing heavily, speckles of blood still falling from his open mouth.

How he wished he could have put an end to that bastard's life back there! Roronoa Zoro was nothing like he expected—Ian had wished for a savior, and gotten an insanely strong enemy! If only he could have killed him back there, if only he could have ended it and taken back the great power!

But it couldn't be done. He just didn't have it in him. Making the best of it, he had taken Tashigi hostage. Ian wasn't satisfied with the plan, however, and he certainly didn't plan on carrying it out. Zoro would die, one way or another—even if he had to take them both out to do it.

"I hope you're ready for a manhunt, father." He gasped under his breath.

Zoro dropped his weapons and instead focused on struggling to his feet. He couldn't make it, however, and fell onto his back. The green-haired swordsman could do nothing but lie there, clutching the wound on his chest and gasping for air. It shouldn't hurt that much! This wound was nothing compared to the one Hawkeye had given him!

Then it hit him. It wasn't the swordsman at all. Ian was fairly skilled, to be sure, but he was nothing without that sword. Eehuah was the real danger here; it was its magical abilities that made the wound hurt so badly. He wondered just what connection it had to that stone. Perhaps it would be best left unknown. Ian would have to be fought again—no matter what—so wouldn't it be better if the Titans simply took it back with them and it was never spoken of again?

"Don't move." Raven said, appearing besides Zoro and placing two gray-skinned hands on his chest. He nearly jumped, startled out of his thoughts by the gothic hero's arrival. Her energy flowed into him, and the wound down Zoro's chest receded.

"That's the best I can do." She sighed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "You're not 100 yet, but at least it won't scar."

"Scars?" Zoro asked. He nodded down to his chest. "I care nothing of scars." Gasping, Raven noticed a deep scar running diagonally across Zoro's entire chest.

"What did you do?" Raven asked.

"That is simply what happens when one fights the best swordsman in the world." Was Zoro's simple reply. He pulled his weapons off the ground, sheathing all three of his swords. However, he didn't bother to remove his bandanna.

"If Tashigi is here, it means Captain Smoker's forces are here and after Luffy," Zoro told her, turning his head back for a brief moment. "We should get going now; the fighting is just beginning." He started walking back to the docks.

A smile crossed Raven's face. She had seen Zoro's passion, and felt the deep care and angst within his soul. Yet, he now hid his emotions, trying to be the tough guy. Yup, she had been right about this Zoro all along—he was another soul just like her.

Now as for _why_ Zoro fought with so much passion…this she planned to find out one way or another. Unlike an open book such as Luffy, there seemed to be tons to learn about Roronoa Zoro. What an intriguing prospect to keep her entertained on a boat full of annoyances.

"Wait up." Raven said. Hovering over to Zoro, she raised her arms. A veil of darkness started crawling up the two warriors. "I can get us there much faster."

Next Time: Legendary Rivalry—Marines and Pirates…fight!


	6. Chapter 6

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter Six: Legendary Rivalry—Marines and Pirates…fight!**

Cringing as the light hit his eyes, the tiny shape shifter slowly came to. Beast Boy groaned, rolling onto his side and then pulling himself onto his feet. As his blurred eyes surveyed the area around him, his tiny brain tried to figure out just where he was; this certainly wasn't Titan's Tower, that's for sure! Was this another one of Cyborg's pranks?

"What did I do to deserve this?" Beast Boy sighed. "Oh yeah, that's right…the water." The changeling snickered remembering that prank. Would Cyborg react like any other human when his hand was put in a cup of water while he was sleeping? Yup, he sure did—then he short-circuited as well. Beast Boy would never forget the look on Cyborg's face—in fact, to ensure that he never did, the green hero had gotten the entire thing on video cassette.

Yup, he figured Cyborg deserved some playful revenge.

"Beast Boy, you're up!" A creature exclaimed, walking into the room. He was only several feet tall, covered in fur. He looked like a small reindeer, wearing a pink hat with stunted antlers sticking through. Beast Boy jumped six feet, hiding behind a nearby crate.

"What are you!" He cried, shivering in fear.

"It's me, Chopper!" The creature exclaimed. The name sparked Beast Boy's memory, and the events of the last day and a half instantly returned to his mind.

The Titan exhaled happily, relieved that he not only knew where he was, but that Cyborg still didn't have a comeback. "Sorry Chopper, I guess I'm still a little groggy after that battle."

"It's fine." Tony Tony Chopper replied nonchalantly. "Anybody who was bashed around by a big spiked club deserves a little leeway." The tiny doctor was carrying a bowl of soup as well as he could with hooves. He rested it on a small crate, beckoning his companion closer. "Here, some soup should make you feel better."

Sitting on the other side of the makeshift table, Beast Boy stared down into the murky meal. It was red, with indiscernible chunks floating through it. Grabbing at his collar for a second, he quickly changed the subject.

"I guess we really did get messed up, didn't we?" Beast Boy asked, staring down towards the bandages encasing his entire torso like a mummy.

"Not all of you as much as just you." Chopper replied. "Robin was hurt real bad, but besides him you were injured the worst."

The green warrior frowned a bit, rubbing his face. "I got kicked by a high heeled shoe and sent flying by a giant club! Of course I'm going to be beat up!" Pausing a second, he came up with more. "At least I turned into that turtle to protect myself from the spikes!"

"True, that was effective," Chopper began, "But reducing your size made the actual force of the club cause a lot more damage on its own."

Beast Boy sighed. Now even doctors were picking apart his battle strategy. Chopper, meanwhile, pushed the bowl of soup forward.

"Eat up!" The reindeer exclaimed. "I made it just for you! It's completely vegetarian! I'm no Sanji when it comes to cooking, but it shouldn't be bad!"

It shouldn't, should it? Swishing his spoon around, the Titan _could_ sort of tell that they were vegetables, if he squinted. Wishing he was brave enough to just become an amoeba and hide in the soup itself, Beast Boy instead finally took a spoonful. Everything turned green and red for a second as tastes never before known to mankind—for a good reason too—zoomed down his tongue and all through his body. He became warm and tingly, almost as if he were drunk.

"So how is it?" Chopper asked eagerly. Despite the thorough disassembling of the Titan's strategies only moments ago, he was looking for a friend in the shape shifter. The doctor was just honest to a fault, unfortunately—the pirate spirit hadn't quite sunk into him yet.

Thumping his chest to hide a quick cough, Beast Boy licked his lips and faked a smile. "It's not bad!" He lied. Taking another tear-inducing look towards the swill caused his stomach to leap up his esophagus; the changeling was forced to look away or else! As his gaze instead shifted to the nearly empty room, a question raised in his mind. With that stomach-turning concoction in front of him, what better time to ask it?

"Where are all my friends though?" Beast Boy asked, never breaking eye-contact with the reindeer so that he could subtly try to push the soup away.

"Terra was just exhausted, and the other two's injuries were real minor," Chopper began. "They're out on the deck getting some air." Then the doctor's voice dropped down low as if the next bit were a secret. "And even though his injuries were worse than yours, Robin was somehow up and about before any of you!"

Beast Boy grinned. "Yup, that's the Robin I know. Once he sets his mind on something, he'll never give up. I wouldn't have it any other way either; without that determined leadership the Teen Titans would have fallen apart years ago."

That was sort of like Luffy as well, Chopper thought. "Yeah, our Luffy never gives up either. That's not why I follow him though." The Titan cocked his head to the side as the reindeer doctor explained further. "I obviously don't fit in very well. A reindeer that has eaten the Human Human Fruit can never truly belong in either the human or reindeer worlds. But Luffy ignored that completely. He didn't care that I was a one-of-a-kind-freak. To him, I was his companion." Tony Tony Chopper laughed, looking up out of his intense gaze and turning to his friend. "And that's why I became a Straw-Hat Pirate!"

Beast Boy looked taken aback. "You didn't fit in anywhere?"

"Nope." Chopper replied glumly. With a grunt he turned and pulled a small, yellow ball from his pink backpack. "This is a 'Rumble Ball.' It's a special medicine I made that twists the Devil Fruit DNA inside me in hopes to find a form I could fit in with. It allowed me to access four new transformations with my powers—which has saved my life in many tough battles—but unfortunately, it still provided nothing that made the humans accept me."

As the doctor slipped his medicine back inside the backpack, Beast Boy sighed and put his arm around the pirate. "I know how you feel buddy. How many green animal-boys have you seen?" Chopper's eyes grew wide; he'd never thought of it that way! "Just remember; with your companions and me around you're never alone! And also—"

Beast Boy's body shrunk in a green blur. In only a second he was eye-level with the awe-stricken Tony Tony Chopper.

"You're not a one-of-a-kind-freak."

Chopper couldn't believe it! The Teen Titan had transformed into a flawless imitation of Chopper—well, flawless if you ignored the green fur. "Wow, if I spray painted myself we could pass as twins!" the reindeer exclaimed.

"That's an awesome idea!" Beast Boy exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "We have to try that sometime! It might even be better than the old hand in the water trick!"

"What's that?"

So Beast Boy explained to his new friend all about the fine art of practical joking. They laughed and laughed for a good long time, tears welling up in the corners of their eyes. Neither had ever thought they would find somebody who knew just what they were going through. It took a certain type of person to be a shape shifter.

"Uh-Oh." Chopper sighed as a laugh finally died out in his throat. "Your soup got cold."

Beast Boy smiled on the inside. "Don't worry too much. I don't feel bad anymore."

"Well, they do say that laughter is the best medicine." The doctor smiled. "Can't waste it though—Sanji would kill me. I'll go see if the newspaper-bird wants it."

'That's the last newspaper they'll get delivered by that bird.' Beast Boy thought with a laugh.

"Why do I have to carry all this wood?" Usopp whined, both his arms piled high with lumber. He shuffled along the streets of Ianoa Island slowly, his arms nearly dragging on the ground because of their heavy cargo.

Sanji growled, slinging a bag of food over his shoulder. "Because Nami-san told you to, that's why!" The cook's demeanor instantly changed as he looked towards Nami, his eyes bulging from his head. "Right my sweet?"

"Sure Sanji." She laughed. "Besides Usopp, Sanji has to handle the food because only he knows how." Hearing his disgruntled sighs, she nodded towards Luffy. "Well, if you don't want to carry the lumber you can always take Luffy's job instead."

Usopp stopped, turning towards his captain. Monkey D. Luffy was walking with his chest parallel to the ground. Several huge bags were laid across his back, the rubber man's elastic arms wrapping around the sides of them. The sniper gasped and quickly changed his tune. Those were Nami's personal supplies, and Usopp knew that he would be better off carrying 10 tons of lumber than them.

"But wait," he asked, a realization popping into his head, "Why aren't you carrying anything Nami?"

"Because I have to find the way back to the ship." She replied, smiling evilly. Sanji nodded eagerly in agreement, while Luffy just seemed too busy trying to keep control over the selfish girl's personal items. Giving up, Usopp just let his head hang lower. "Besides, there's the ship anyway!" She exclaimed, pointing towards the docked Merry Go on the other side of the plaza.

As the pirates climbed back onto their ship, they could see their new friends lounging across the deck. Robin sat atop the main cabin—next to Nami's tangerine patch—lifting weights. It was about the only exercise he could do in his condition right now. Terra sat on the boat's railing, dangling her feet, while Cyborg leaned against it next to her, looking bored. Starfire was dashing about, trying to get the attention of her friends.

"Glorious!" Starfire exclaimed, noticing the return of the Straw Hats. "Now that you are back shall we commence the fixing of the ship?"

"Let's wait till Zoro gets back." Luffy yawned, sauntering towards the corner his first mate usually inhabited. "I need a nap." Taking off his straw hat and resting it on the end of the stairwell, he fell to the floor. Blissful slumber followed in just seconds.

The boat shook as Usopp dropped the lumber, collapsing on top of it. He sure hated to look weak in front of Terra, but he just didn't have enough energy to care after that witch of a woman had nearly killed him with chores.

"Oh Usopp," Nami called, false sweetness resonating in her voice, "Would you mind carrying my stuff into my cabin?" With a whimper Usopp buried his head under his own arms.

"I've got them Nami-san!" Sanji exclaimed, disappearing in a flurry of hormone induced speed and strength. In only seconds he had grabbed the bulky bags, put them in their place, and returned with a love struck smile pasted across his face. "Anything else I can do?"

"I don't even want know what other chores she wants you to do," Cyborg began, "But I'd like to know what that giant crowd heading towards your ship is." The others scrambled to surround Cyborg's position, getting a glimpse of the mob.

"Marines!" Nami exclaimed. "How did they know we were here?"

"Could it have something to do with that?" Terra asked. Looking up, the crew noticed the Merry Go's pirate flag flying at full mast. The skull-and-crossbones—topped with a Straw Hat—was a dead giveaway of the ship's inhabitants.

"I can't believe you!" Nami screamed, grabbing her captain by his collar and slamming him into the wall. He only barely started to rouse. "How are we going to stay undercover with that thing just sitting there? Don't you even care about the bounty on your head?"

Luffy started to stir, mumbling groggily. "The king of Pirates can't hide from Marines." He managed to spit out. Nami sighed heavily, dropping the rubber man back to the ground.

"Don't worry Nami-san, we'll take care of them!" Sanji declared.

"That's right! Sanji'll take care of 'em!" Usopp repeated, inching away from the warriors.

"Oh no you don't!" Sanji growled. Usopp felt the collar of his shirt being tugged as the cook lifted him into the air. With a mighty swing, Sanji threw the sniper into the crowd. Twisting his torso back to face the pile of lumber again, he was shocked to see Usopp hiding behind it!

"What the…" the cook stuttered, befuddled at how this could happen. He started looking back from one hand to the other, wondering if he had even thrown Usopp. However, in the moment Sanji blinked, he noticed Usopp disappear from his present location and appear behind one of Nami's tangerine trees.

"You didn't!" Sanji exclaimed. "If you could be that fast when you _weren't_ thinking about saving your own skin you'd be a much better sea warrior!"

"Hey!" Usopp cried. "I didn't just get down there and run back you know!"

"He had time for more?" Cyborg asked, stupefied.

Hearing the sound of soldiers crying, the crew turned to see the first few rows of Marines slipping in a red substance. They tumbled onto their backs and knocked even more over, like a domino effect.

"Hoorah!" the sniper cheered. "My Ketchup Stars worked!"

"Now we'd better get out there too!" Sanji yelled, dashing down the plank to the shore.

"We're right behind you!" Robin exclaimed, jumping to his feet and jumping off the roof of the cabin. As the Titans moved forward to attack, they were stopped by a high-pitched scream.

"NO YOU DON'T!" Chopper exclaimed, emerging from the cabin with Beast Boy behind him. "You aren't well enough to fight yet!" Pulling a yellow ball from his backpack, the reindeer walked to Sanji's side. "I'm good to go, however!"

For a second the sigh of the Teen Titans drowned out the sounds of the Marines pulling out their guns. Some were pistols and some were rifles; all looked antique compared to the weapons of our world, with beautiful looping patterns covering the sides. In one swift motion the uniformed guards aimed towards the two pirates running down the Merry Go's plank.

"Don't do that!" Luffy cried, finally coming to his senses all the way. "Rubber Rocket!" Throwing his elastic arm forward, he grabbed the railing of his ship and launched himself between his crew and the Marines' line of fire. Their guns shot the round bullets, which instantly collided with the rubber man.

"LUFFY!" Robin exclaimed, amazed that he was willing to sacrifice his life for his crewmates.

However, Robin was mistaken. The bullets tried to tear into Luffy for a few seconds before being bounced back by his elastic skin. They ricocheted onto the battlefield, taking down the very Marines who fired them. Monkey D. Luffy wasn't settling for that, however. As he landed only one sandled foot touched the ground; he span his body 360 with the other leg outstretched. "Rubber Whip!" He cried as his long leg swept through the front of the crowd, blowing Marines in all directions. As his other foot touched down he already had launched his arm far backwards, and now he let it snap, blowing forward like his Rubber Rocket. However, this time the captain's fist was closed. "Rubber Pistol!" He announced. Luffy's fist tore through the crowd, knocking out myriads of Marines. No wonder it was his favorite attack. His arm finally broke through the wall of a building, and as it started to retract, he grabbed onto the edge of the hold.

"Rubber…" Luffy started, jumping into the air. As his arm started pulling him to where it ended, the captain smiled, extending his other arm straight to his side. "SICKLE!" His arm clothleslined his opponents as he blew through the crowd, reducing the Marines in his way to whimpering piles of flesh and leaking blood.

And then the rubber man continued to fly, reaching the end of the crowd but leaving his allies far behind. Sanji and Chopper just looked on confused.

"I guess we'll have to finish these guys." The cook growled. Chopper nodded in agreement, placing the Rumble Ball between his teeth.

"RUMBLE."

Chopper crushed the medicine between his teeth. Without wasting a second he shot forwards, knowing that its powers only lasted for three minutes. His face grew forward, taking on the snout of a true reindeer. His lower body also extended into the long, slender legs expected. However, his upper body instead began to grow into the muscle-bound appearance of Chopper's human transformation—although he still kept hooves. The most remarkable thing about his form, however, was that the doctor's tiny antlers instead grew to almost six feet in size for each one. He called this his Horn Point, and it was deadly to a crowd.

"Roseo Colonnade!" Tony Tony Chopper announced as he dashed through the crowds. Despite their guns and swords, the Marines were helpless to fight back against those massive antlers. Running with incredible speed and shaking his head, the reindeer sent Marines scattering. The white clothed warriors fell as soon as the head-mounted weapons came close.

However, his charge through the crowd left Chopper oblivious to some the other parts of the mob. Resting his rifle on his arm one soldier aimed his weapon, ready to get himself some venison.

"Don't even think about it!" A voice cried from above. Gasping and turning his gaze to the sky, the Marine was greeted by the sight of Sanji somersaulting above him, his heel heading straight for the soldier's head. "Concasse." With the uttering of one word, the cook's heel landed straight in the Marine's forehead, crushing his skull. He fell to the ground in a heap.

"You'll pay for that!" His fellow warriors cried, grabbing their swords and charging forward. As soon as he touched the ground Sanji again took action, flipping backwards and landing on his hands. With rapid twists of his arms the cook span like a helicopter, his outstretched legs sending the Marines soaring in all directions. With another flip Sanji returned to his feet, instantly leaning forward and kicking straight behind him. His foot landed in a Marine's stomach, and as the poor man fell to the floor grabbing his chest, his attacker threw more kicks forward faster than the eye could see. Sanji's style was fluid-like and beautiful, but that often took focus away from its true deadly nature.

One lucky soldier managed to duck and roll beneath Chopper's antler, jumping to his feet behind him and aiming his rifle. He fired off a shot, but the reindeer was far too intelligent for such things. He instantly shrunk back to his normal form, but as he did so the fur around his body seemed to explode, shrouding the doctor's body in a cocoon of fur. This was Chopper's Guard Point. The bullet bounced off, hitting another Marine.

"Good try buddy," Chopper smiled, "But I'm not going to let you guys hurt my friends!" The fur around him was instantly shed as the reindeer switched to his Jumping Point. His lower body again took on the reindeer legs, but they were much longer and slenderer than usual. His upper body shifted to human form, but lost muscle mass as it slimmed to an aerodynamic shape. His face remained human; a frown passed across it as his mighty legs hit the ground. One push—almost seeming like a tap—sent him soaring into the air.

As the dazed and confused soldiers searched the sky, they never even got a chance to react as Chopper returned. He had switched to his most useful form, the Arm Point; remaining identical to his Jumping Point, the muscles in his arms had swelled to the point of almost exploding. Falling from the sky, he thrust his massive arms toward the ground. His rock-hard hoof tore through the ground, sending Marines flying.

Meanwhile, Sanji had been having just as much luck. Only one soldier still opposed him. The cook took a drag of his cigarette as he ducked beneath some feebly launched sword slashes, as if to taunt the soldier. As he rose from behind the attacks he raised one leg into the air, resting the top of his foot on the back of the Marine's neck.

"Reception." Sanji announced.

In an instant Sanji's leg had used inhuman speed to push the Marine's face straight into the concrete. Chopper returned to normal, wandering to his friend's side. They both laughed at the pitiful forces the law kept on their side. Unfortunately, as they did so they heard the sound of five guns cocking.

"Hold it!" A Marine called, revealing a circle of soldiers surrounding the two pirates.

"We have to help them!" Robin exclaimed, ready to jump over the edge of the ship. His escape was halted by somebody grabbing his cape, pulling him back.

"Running down there in your condition is just going to make things worse!" Nami exclaimed. "If your wounds act up again then Sanji and Chopper will have to worry about protecting you and themselves!"

"Then are you suggesting that we just watch them kill our friends?" Robin screamed. Nami took a step back, surprised by the Boy Wonder's intensity.

"He's right." Cyborg affirmed, looking grim. "We've fought in worse shape before. Some things are just more important than our health."

Nami smiled, truly touched by their new friends' care. Then she jumped, realizing something. "B-but what about the fact that they're Marines? You're supposed to be the good guys. Fight against the Marines, and you'll be criminals! You'll be blacklisted!"

"Then it will have been for a worthy cause." Starfire said solemnly as her eyes simmered.

"Besides, it'll be kind of fun to be the bad guys for once." Terra smiled as she hopped off the railing, a yellow hue coming to life around her hands. Robin pulled a Redbird from his belt, while Cyborg's hand unfolded into his infamous Sonic Cannon.

"We've made our decision." Robin told her. The other Titans nodded and assumed the position.

Three eyes turned nervously, looking for a way past the final few Marines. Chopper waited for Sanji to act, while the cook hoped for Chopper to provide a defense of some sort.

Just as one of the Marines gave the order to fire he exploded, becoming nothing but a smoldering pile of green ashes. As the other soldiers turned in surprise, a second Marine was picked off by a blue blast. The ground beneath a third crumbled, dropping him into a deep crevice. A red weapon whizzed into the fourth's head, knocking him out cold. The Redbird returned right to its owner's hand.

"Did'ja miss us?" Beast Boy asked as the Titans stood from their attack position on the deck.

"I could have taken care of them." Sanji growled, inhaling deeply into his cigarette. The final Marine, completely flabbergasted by the turnaround in their turnaround, started to pull the trigger. As the sole survivor he had nothing to lose!

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

A black field crawled up the Marine's flawless white outfit. Screaming in fear, the soldier was tossed into the harbor. Raven and Zoro emerged from the shadows of a nearby alley.

"Way to go Sanji." Zoro laughed. "I _bet_ you could have taken care of them."

Sanji just scoffed. "Damn straight I could have. Besides, I didn't see you doing anything to help out."

"I was on a much more important mission!" Zoro exclaimed. He and Sanji kept inching closer, both growing red. Steam flew from their ears.

"We discovered that these Marines are subordinates of Captain Smoker." Raven informed them, ignoring the boys' little spat. "It's imperative that we leave here right away!"

Nami sighed, looking at the device on her wrist. "We can't do that! The Indicator hasn't finished recording the frequency of this island—and if we leave before it does that, we'll just float aimlessly!"

"Couldn't we just hide out on the island somewhere until they leave?" Terra suggested, shrugging. She knew there weren't any other options.

"No. Those Marines are relentless." Zoro said, removing the bandanna from his head. With the Marines all defeated, there was no reason to wear it anymore. He wrapped it around his arm, pulling a tight knot with his teeth. "Especially Smoker. He'd never stop looking for Luffy—and he's going to look even harder now that we've slaughtered all his men."

"Wait a minute, where is Luffy anyway?" Raven asked, realizing that he wasn't there with the rest of them.

"Luffy!" Robin exclaimed, charging down the street. "He's in danger out there all alone!" The boy wonder disappeared at the end of the road, following the path of destruction only Luffy could have left.

"I don't understand what he sees in that guy." Raven sighed.

"Robin sees the same thing all the rest of us saw in Luffy." Nami told her, smiling. She knew Luffy seemed like an idiot at first glance, but that guy had a completely other side.

Everything was so vivid. She could still remember him insisting that she was their companion even after she had betrayed them. She could see him fighting Arlong and destroying all that he had forced her to do. And most of all, she could remember the feeling of trust as he placed his beloved Straw Hat on her head.

"It just takes a while for most people to see it."

Next Time: The Masterminds—Rematch in the Smoke


	7. Chapter 7

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 7: The Masterminds—Rematch in the Smoke**

"Give it up Straw Hat Luffy!" A Marine cried. The single pirate stood surrounded by the white-clad soldiers, yet he didn't look intimidated. "You only get one more warning!"

"I don't need a warning." Luffy smiled. As the Marines roared mightily and charged, the unimposing boy just sighed. Twisting his body slightly, Monkey D. Luffy threw out both of his arms to the side. Each fist met with a soldier's face, sending blood and teeth flying. As they snapped back to normal length, Luffy wasted no time in launching more punches.

"Rubber Gattling!" Luffy cried. His arms slung back and forth, using both the recoil and their natural elasticity to bounce faster and faster. It looked as if the pirate had hundreds of arms flying from all directions. As the horrendous storm of attacks subsided, nothing was left of the Marines except unconscious bodies hurled across the streets.

"Well, that sure was boring." The captain sighed, reaching his arms behind his head and stretching. As he did so his stomach growled; it sounded like a lion, and the vicious noise echoed across the entire island. "And now I'm hungry too. Oh well. Sanji'll make me some meat!" He began his long trip back to the Merry Go, following the trail of bloody bodies back to the spot where he hoped Sanji and Chopper had finished their battles.

"Leaving so soon rubber boy?" A voice asked. Looking up, Luffy noticed a figure standing on the front of the now-empty Marine ship. He did a back flip, somersaulting high in the air and soaring into a perfect landing right in front of Luffy. The captain just stood there, picking at his ear, until he noticed who the man confronting him was.

The owner of the voice slowly rose from his landing position, turning to face his rubber opponent. The waning light glinted across the black and brown mask as the one fearsome eye glared ominously.

"I remember you!" Luffy exclaimed. "You're that asshole that was chasing Robin!" The two exchanged awkward stares for a second before the rubber pirate broke down into hysterical laughter. "Boy, I sure sent you flying, didn't I!"

Crossing his arms, Slade frowned. "I was taken by surprise rubber boy." Luffy fell onto his bottom, laughing so hard that tears welled up in his eyes. The masked menace couldn't understand how such a juvenile hick could be so incredibly strong. Still, his strength made no difference. Slade was leagues beyond Luffy in intelligence, and it would be the factor that would win this for him.

Looking back down to Luffy, Slade was shocked to see him gone! Turning around, he found the rubberman walking away from him, waving his arms in the air.

"Thanks for the laughs mister!" Luffy called.

With a ferocious scream Slade charged forward, appearing in front of the boy and sending him reeling with a backhand. Luffy landed on his butt, skidding across the plaza; the fiend that sent him there sauntered back slowly, trying his hardest to create a frightening atmosphere.

"You can't leave yet rubber boy." Slade told him. As Luffy climbed to his feet and started brushing dirt from his shoulder, the masked man continued. "You have something I need, and nobody is leaving here until that stone is back in my hands."

"The stone?" Luffy echoed, perplexed. He scratched his head, further disheveling his mangy black hair. His trademark Straw Hat had been left on the Merry Go when Luffy thought he was going to be able to peacefully nap, so his hair now stuck out in all directions. "Oh yeah, that shiny red rock. Robin has that."

"Robin has the Iso Toa? Impressive." Slade shrugged and walked past Luffy. Robin never failed to impress him; Slade would have sworn that Luffy had taken the stone when he attacked him, but instead Robin somehow wound up with it. "Then I guess I have no more business with you."

Luffy grinned, thinking the problem was solved. "Okay then, see'ya round!"

A second elapsed as Luffy just stood there, silence passing between him and Slade.

As Slade walked toward his target he thought about how stupid Luffy was. It was almost unimaginable! Suddenly he heard a voice calling from behind him. "Rubber Pistol!" The pirate cried as he slung his arm towards Slade. The villain simply moved his head to the side and the rubber arm flew past his head. Slade chuckled a bit, glad he was wrong about this rubberman. He had figured it out after all.

"You're gonna hurt Robin, aren't you?" Luffy asked as his arm snapped back into place. He jumped into the air, the recoil spinning him before he landed. "Well, I'm not gonna let you take that stone from him! The Titans need that to get home!" Even though he had a rubber body, Luffy still had a very human heart. He knew that Robin was defending him when he attacked Buggy, and he wasn't going to be the one to let that bravery be for nothing!

"You think you can stop me? You're almost as dumb as you look." Slade taunted. Releasing a breath and shrugging a bit, he started walking towards Luffy. "But I would like to teach you a lesson after what you did last time we met. So sure, let's see what you can do to me."

Luffy grinned, winding up his right arm like a windmill. Slade, meanwhile, pressed a button his belt. It made a noise, sounding like the static on a radio. "Commence plan Ventilation." He whispered.

"Rubber Stamp!" Luffy exclaimed, breaking the transmission with his attack. He lunged forward, doing half a flip as he threw his leg forward. As his foot was ready to hit Slade—leaving a sandal-shaped stamp—he simply strafed to the side, wrapping his arms around the elastic appendage.

The irony of this situation wasn't lost on Slade. "Haven't we done this before?" he asked as he tugged on Luffy, ready to slam the rubberman into the pavement.

"Not quite!" Luffy returned, leaping into the air and throwing his other leg. As it soared past Slade he again wound up his own body, leaving the villain wrapped up in rubber legs. "Rubber..." he began as he back flipped through the air. With a snap his legs started to unwind, spiraling Slade through the air until he was plowed into the ground. "…GRAND MALLET!" Luffy cried as the chipped pavement still rained over the battlefield.

The attack stirred up so much dust that Luffy couldn't even notice the veil of white smoke that was slowly drifting over their battlefield. Unfortunately, he also couldn't notice the whirling disks until they collided with him, exploding on contact. The blast sent the rubberman reeling, blowing open the front of his shirt and burning his body a bit. A silhouette walked through the smoke, finally emerging and revealing itself as Slade—battered a bit, but seemingly oblivious to the pain.

The taciturn warrior wasted no time in hurling more explosives. However, this time Luffy was prepared. He somersaulted to the side, and as he landed he again slung out his leg for another assault. "Rubber Whip!" cried the rubberman as his leg wound a loop-de-loop course towards Slade. Ducking beneath it, the villain grabbed it and tumbled backwards. Luffy was hurled into the air and pile driven straight into the pavement.

Slade kept his grip as the leg snapped back into place; using the rubberman's own power against him, he stuck his leg out and drove it into Luffy's back when his leg returned. Slade gracefully flipped backwards as the enraged Luffy jumped wildly, stamping his feet on the ground. The Captain turned to his calm opponent in a completely opposite mood—something in his eyes had changed, making him look like a mad dog.

"That's it: your ass is grass!" Luffy cried, hurling a deadly hook at the masked antagonist. Slade ducked beneath it and charged, never realizing how honored he should be—Luffy only used that phrase for on his most hated of enemies. The villain's fist hurled itself into the pirate's rubber stomach, bouncing back with so much force that Slade was nearly thrown backwards. Luffy tried to throw a kick, but this time Slade was totally in control; he span around, whirling his leg beneath the rubberman, completely throwing his balance off.

As Luffy stumbled backwards, taking clumsy steps, Slade didn't waste one second of the brilliant situation. He continued forward, pummeling the pirate's chest with first-rate punches. Ready to finish the fight, he ducked low and drove a devastating uppercut into the rubberman's chin, snapping his head back. Then, with one final blow, Slade drove a right straight into Luffy's face.

The punch drove Luffy's head straight back, and his neck stretched further and further back, almost taking Luffy's head out of sight. Slade ogled the sight—astonished at the unexpected response to his attack—as he wiped the rubberman's blood from his sleeve.

"Rubber…" Luffy called. Slade jumped backwards at the sound of his opponent's voice—hadn't he finished him? Luffy's neck snapped forward, driving his head straight into Slade's. "…BELL!" He exclaimed as the headbutt hit home; the bell-like sound of the impact echoed across the town, breaking a few windows. Slade was pretty broken too as his body exploded backwards, flying through a building. Luffy wiped the blood from his face as he admired his work.

"What an idiot!" Luffy laughed. "All that work and all I get is a bloody nose!" As he brushed some rubble from his arms, he finally noticed the blanket of smoke that had slowly but surely been infiltrating the area. "Wait, when did the fog come in?"

"Fog will be the last of your worries!" Slade cried. The fiend kept himself hidden in the shadows, but he did reveal another disk of explosives. It made a distinctive buzzing noise as it arced through the air.

Luffy grimaced, grabbing the end of his right fingers with his left hand. "Rubber Shield!" he cried as he pulled all five fingers into a protective rubber field across his face. The projectile exploded on contact, but the rubberman barely felt the attack. What he did feel, however, was the metal rod being pried through his shield and straight into his face. As Luffy soared backwards, he spied Slade jumping into the air, his staff poised high above his head. His costume was half-shredded, and several pockets on his belt looked chipped. Several cracks ran along his mask as well.

Slade let loose a scream that sounded like it came from the depths of hell. He fought like a man possessed as he slammed his staff over Luffy's head and then shifted his weight, spinning into another attack. Slade wasn't used to being the underdog—he was always under control, always leading the other around like a puppy! He had Luffy outmatched on both skill and intelligence—so why wasn't he winning?

Monkey D. Luffy wasn't used to such fast and close blows, and was unable to defend against the strike that now smashed into his side. He was sent soaring, but launched his legs to the ground, digging his sandals' flimsy heels into the pavement. Skidding, he swirled to a stop. Slade was already retaliating, thrusting his staff towards one of the rubberman's eyes.

"Ah ha!" Luffy cried. "I've got this one!" The pirate laughed again as he opened wide, his jaw stretching his face out several feet. The staff went straight down his throat. "Rubber…CHOMP!" With one fierce snap of his jaws the rubberman had shattered Slade's favorite weapon. The terrorist dropped the remains of the pole and wound up for another attack—until his opponent grinned, revealing chunks of metal stuck between his shiny white teeth.

"I'm sorry," laughed the rubberman, "do these belong to you?" Luffy puckered up, spitting the shards like one might watermelon seeds. Slade crossed his arms to defend, but the razor-bladed projectiles still whirled past him like bullets from a machine gun.

Blood spurted from his wounds, covering the landscape behind him. It looked as if a finger-paint-parade of kindergarteners had passed through Ianoa Island. Slade fell to his knees, staggering. His body convulsed as the fiend stuttered, trying to catch his breath. A mixture of saliva and blood leaked through the cracks and vents in his mask.

Was this truly it? Had he lost? Slade could no longer move, could no longer even attempt to fight. He was more skilled than Luffy. He was smarter than Luffy. The rubberman had the advantage in pure power, but Slade refused to believe that pure power could win a battle. If that was true, then he would have been dead long ago. Terra could have killed them back when they first met. Any of the Titans could have brought him to his death. Yet, time and time again Slade triumphed. It was because he planned, he connived—it was because he had a superior plan in the end.

Yet, this time Slade had a plan too. So, the true question was only just now revealed: why did Slade care so much about beating this mere boy? Never before had he fallen victim to such lust for revenge. Never before had he wanted to kill somebody as much as he wanted to Luffy. Joy caroused through the villain's veins as he thought of wringing the pirate's rubber neck between his two powerful hands.

This time Slade had created a plan too. He had followed it to a T. Yet, it had failed. The stone was stolen just as planned. Starfire had been baited, just as planned. But a hitch soon revealed itself—a rubber hitch named Luffy, whom had sent the entire plan down the toilet when he attacked Slade.

Luffy had caused Slade's failure. For that, Slade could never let him win this battle—no matter what measures had to be taken!

The rubberman himself had other ideas, however. "Time to finish this!" He exclaimed joyously, throwing both arms backwards. The twin appendages stretched—quickly becoming lost in the white smoke that now completely covered the battlefield—until Luffy laughed and shifted his weight forward.

"Rubber…BAZOOKA!"

With a ferocious snap Luffy's arms blasted forwards. His two open palms collided with Slade, still on his knees and not even paying attention. He was propelled several feet, still being pushed forwards by the rubber hands. However, about at that point both Slade and Luffy's arms disappeared once again into the thick smoke.

"Wait a minute?" Luffy asked. "What is all this smoke? This isn't fog!" As if to answer his own question, he was smacked squarely in the back—by Slade, propelled by his own two arms. The rubberman was knocked onto his stomach, his opponent sprawled across his back. His arms, meanwhile, flew back into the smoke behind Luffy—then miraculously returned from where they were stretched in front of him.

The Captain climbed from beneath the fallen terrorist, brushing dirt from his body. He stared into the smoke, shaking his head back and forth endlessly. "What the hell was that!" He exclaimed. When he received no answer, Luffy continued with his inquiry, repeatedly shouting out "What was that!"

"Calm down Straw Hat." answered a voice emanating deep from within the smoke. The thick blanket of smoke moved until it formed a single pillar. A huge figure strolled from deep within the oxygen-deprived depths of the pillar—and as he did so, the smoke itself curled into a ball in the imposing man's hand.

"Smokey!" Luffy cried in fear. Of anybody Luffy had ever faced, this was the one he never had a chance of beating. This pirate really did know fear at the hands of Captain Smoker.

"Indeed." Smoker reaffirmed, lowering his head as the ball of vapor in his hand dispersed in a poof. "And since you asked—repeatedly—then I'll let you in on a secret. That was my 'Smoke Wormhole' technique; things go in one part of the smoke, and then come out the other end. You really didn't think I'd let you hurt my ally, did you?"

"That sure sounds like fun!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes going wide. "Can you make food come out of you?"

Smoker drew his club with a huff, insulted by that statement. "No, but how about I knock your lunch out of you?"

Luffy peered down at his stomach and cocked his head. It rumbled some noises in reply. "Sorry Smokey, but it isn't done with lunch yet. You can try again later though."

"Enough!" Smoker cried, charging forward. "I have a job to fulfill, and I won't stop until you're dead if it's necessary!"

Monkey D. Luffy took a step back, but truly had no strategy to battle his intangible opponent. Just as the two enemies were about to clash, the assault was intercepted by one brave figure. Slade stood between the combatants, finally back on his feet.

"What are you doing?" The Marine asked, shocked. "We had a plan—you trap him, I finish him! Why are you going against the plan?"

Slade himself didn't really know what was going on. This was so unlike him, but at the same time, he just wouldn't be satisfied until Luffy had fallen at his hands.

"I don't need you anymore you know." Smoker threatened. "There's no way for Luffy to escape now, and my crew should at least have the Straw Hat's surrounded by now, if not beaten." Slade only returned the Marine's angry glare, not budging an inch. "Don't think I won't go through you to get to him!"

"Leave him alone!" cried another voice. All three figured turned to find Robin standing only a few inches away. He was grabbing his side, holding onto the bloodstained bandages wrapped around his torso. Running all that way wasn't the best treatment for wounds, but the Boy Wonder barely noticed the pain. His friend was being faced by the most dangerous man he knew. There was no way he could just sit back and watch now!

"He has the stone!" Slade exclaimed, whirling into a punch as he did so. The gloved fist ripped into Luffy's face and sent the rubberman soaring; Slade was in hot pursuit. "Get it!" He commanded.

Smoker sighed as he watched his partner. This wasn't supposed to be how it worked. Slade was just supposed to draw out Luffy and get his stone—Smoker was supposed to finish the Straw Hat! Still, it didn't matter at the moment. He doubted that Slade could defeat Luffy anyway, and this gem could prove valuable to the Marines. Last time a new sort of stone had been discovered it had resulted in a special variety of rock that contained the power of the ocean; this element proved invaluable as it now provided a way to restrain users of the Devil's Fruit.

"I believe you have something we want." Smoker began as he walked towards Robin, sheathing his club as he did so. "You're in no condition to fight now. I suggest you hand it over before I have to use force."

"Nobody tells me I can't fight!" Robin exclaimed, charging forward. He swept his feet down low, but it had no effect. Not wasting a second, the noble young man somersaulted backwards, connecting with a whirling kick. Again, it went straight through the man. Gasping, Robin threw forward a flurry of punches.

"Are you getting tired yet?" Smoker asked as the green fists just shot aimlessly through smoke. "I should have expected this from scum that associates with Pirates. I don't know what you are exactly in your world, but here you're just scum even lower than your pirate friend! I'll find pleasure in grinding you both into dust!"

"I'll never let that happen! I'll fight until I find a way to destroy you!" Pulling his staff from his belt, Robin jumped high and swiped at the Marine's head. Again it just drove a path through smoke; as it did so, Smoker threw forward his fist. It collided with Robin's midsection, sending the boy tumbling across the street.

Robin could taste the blood in his mouth, but it didn't deter the warrior's trip back onto his feet. There was no way he would ever give up now. He'd been faced with far worse—compared to being Slade's apprentice, this fool was nothing!

"White Snake!" announced Smoker as he threw a punch. His fist was propelled by a stream of smoke. Robin dug his feet into the ground as he blocked the fist with his staff, parrying it to the side. The force slammed the hand into a wall, but it just dissolved into smoke. The vapor again launched itself towards Robin.

His usual cocky grin crawled across Robin's face as he took hold of his staff with both hands. Spinning it rapidly, he used the weapon as a fan, blowing Smoker back at himself. "How do you like that?"

Smoker rubbed his chin with his remaining hand. "Not bad," he complimented, "but I think this is better!" Robin gasped as he felt his weapon being snatched from his hand. Casting his gaze to the sky, the Teen Titan was amazed to see his staff being carried away by a stream of smoke coming from a nearby chimney!

"Now there's nothing left for you to do but fall victim to my White Storm!" Smoker exclaimed psychotically. His entire body converted to smoke as it drove forward relentlessly. Robin's pupil-less eyes grew big as saucers as he became engulfed by the storm—he crossed his arms, realizing he could do nothing but defend. As the white vapor whizzed about him, the Marine's fist materialized and smashed into the Titan's face, sending him soaring out of the fog.

Robin caught himself, landing on his side holding himself up with one arm. With his other hand he pulled one blue disk of explosives from his belt. He flipped a switch on the bottom; as he rose back onto both feet he wound the band along the disk's edge. "This had better work!" Robin whispered to himself.

_5!_

"You won't survive this time!" Smoker exclaimed as he drove himself forward. His body took a spiraling position, like a tornado.

_4!_

Cradling the disk between his fingers, Robin wound up his torso, turning 180 degrees. He strained as hard as he could, groaning at the pressure being put on his body. He knew the timer would go off soon—he had to give it his all now!

_3!_

The Boy Wonder returned to normal and unfurled his weapon, letting the disk fly from his hand.

_2!_

Robin's natural arc worked perfectly as the weapon zoomed through the sky, taking a sharp left curve and heading straight towards the large white mass of smoke it was intended to stop.

_1!_

With only one second left the disk hit its target, soaring straight into Captain Smoker's gaseous body.

_0!_

The timer circling the rim of the disk ticked back into place; the resulting explosion was anything but expected, at least by Smoker. The Marine could feel cold passing through his entire body. As seconds passed more and more of him was being frozen by the sub-zero blast. Smoker's gaseous body just helped the ice spread faster and more effectively.

In mere seconds Captain Smoker was nothing more than a giant pillar of ice in the middle of the street. Breathing a sigh of relief, Robin fell to one knee panting. Sweat poured down his battered body.

"Bravo. Bravo."

Robin somehow found the energy to leap back onto his feet, spinning to face his fan as he did so. The Teen Titan found himself face to face with his nemesis.

"I'm amazed at how the great adage always proves true." Slade began. "Great minds really do think alike." With the turn of his neck he gestured behind himself. All hope drained from Robin's body as he witnessed the horror Slade had prepared for him. Luffy had met the same fate as Captain Smoker: both warriors were encased deep within a thick pillar of ice.

Robin shook himself, trying to pull together his composure. He still had time to save Luffy, if he could get past the sadistic fiend standing before him. "I'm nothing like you!" the boy wonder exclaimed loudly.

"Keep telling yourself that Robin. You know you're wrong." Slade pulled the remains of his staff from his belt. The miraculous weapon reformed itself, lengthening into a full-sized weapon once again. "However, it makes no difference now. You lost your opportunity to be on the winning side when you betrayed me."

Slade tapped the end of his staff in his palm menacingly as he slowly walked forward. "You only have two choices now: Hand the Stone of Iso Toa to me and die under my power later, or refuse and die now."

His staff may have been gone, but the technical genius known as Robin was far from unarmed. He pulled two small staffs from his belt; each one was about one fourth the size of his normal weapon. The Titan wielded one in each hand.

"Do I even need to tell you my answer?" he asked with a smirk. The wind blew through his cape as the evening shadows dropped across his face. What a fitting way to end this whopper of a day, Robin thought. Yup, a showdown with his greatest rival at sundown would be just the conclusion this day deserved.

Next Time: A False Ending—The Power of Friendship


	8. Chapter 8

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter Eight: A False Ending—The Power of Friendship **

_The terrorist's balled fist plowed into Luffy's face, sending the rubberman soaring away from his friend. As he flew backwards Slade wasted no time in pulling more explosives from his belt. Despite the numerous wounds covering his body, the villain wasn't slowing down at all. The disks hit their target, blowing more holes in Luffy's shirt and spreading even more blood. They certainly made up for the damage that Slade's fists just couldn't deliver._

_As he finally landed and slid across the pavement, Luffy didn't even waste time thinking of a retort as he charged forward. The rubberman's powerful hook was predictable—giving Slade no challenge at all as he soared above it. As his body arced through the air, he pulled more projectiles from his utility belt. A skillful somersault from the pirate allowed him to dodge the incoming attack, and as he flipped forward he threw his leg to the air, ready to strike with a powerful chop._

_Pavement flew as Luffy's leg tore into the pavement, building a trench. However, his opponent had already forgotten that attack, focused on bringing the rubberman down. Slade used the natural force of his enemy's attack to launch himself backwards, coiling his body into a spin as he did so. Four blue disks of explosives were poised between his fingers._

_Luffy huffed as he saw what his nemesis had in store. These explosives were really getting him pissed! Slade unfurled his attack, but as the projectiles flew towards their targets, Monkey D. Luffy didn't even try to evade._

_"Rubber…" He began as he took a deep breath. Air poured into his lungs as he pulled his chest back, looking as if he was about to unleash a mighty wind to blow the devices away. Just as Luffy was about to debut his attack, however, the explosives hit home. The rubberman looked undeterred—knowing he had a plan—but Slade's plan seemed to be better._

_With a blinding blue flash the weapons did their job, exploding in a sub-zero flurry of icy sparks. Luffy froze in place, ice traveling up his body and down his legs until his entire body was encased in an artic crystal._

_Slade snickered, ignoring the major damage he had taken and instead admiring his own work. He couldn't believe how worked up this mere boy had him. Nobody else had ever had Slade so involved in a battle; never before had his bloodlust been so high. _

_Even with _him _it was an entirely different feeling._

_And as if to remind him of that resilient young boy, an identical explosion rocketed from only a few feet away. With a slow turn Slade walked towards the final target in his plan. Once again, he had done exactly what had been expected of him._

_In the end, Luffy was no Robin._

Each of the Teen Titans just stared glumly at their yellow communicators. Adorned with a giant black 'T' on the front, the small circular devices were their main form of communication. However, all five were now silent.

"Robin!" Starfire exclaimed, calling fiercely into the device. "Robin, come in!" Again, she received no answer. Growling in frustration, her unusual alien strength crushed the communicator; upon noticing it, she hurled it to the ground.

"This piece of furbnick is obviously defective!" Starfire cried. "Why else would we be unable to have the contact with Robin?"

Beast Boy began to back away cautiously. "I think Star's really lost it." He echoed, stunned.

"This means that something's happened to him, obviously." Raven stated. A pale arm emerged from the blue draping her cloak provided as her communicator was surrounded by a black aura; it slowly floated into her belt as she then returned to the protection beneath her cape. "It was a call for help, and we better follow it up."

Cyborg's arm popped open as he stared at the various lines and dots on his radar. "The tracker in Robin's communicator last pinpointed him here," he began as he pointed across town, "But then the signal dies. We'd better get there quick!"

"He obviously went after Luffy," Terra stated. "We could have saved time and just followed the trail of Marines." She kicked at one of the soldier's unconscious body, before pushing it out of her way with one quick flare of her Earth-moving powers.

Sanji let another puff of smoke travel off into the air, watching in admiration as it dispersed into the sky. Returning the death-stick to his mouth, he hopped off the crate he was sitting on and walked towards the Titans, followed closely by Zoro and Chopper.

"Looks like we need to save our stupid Captain again." Zoro grumbled, walking hunched over as a sign of disgust. Suddenly, a thump was heard behind them; the group turned in surprise to see Nami leaping from the deck of the Merry Go.

The navigator made an impressive landing, brushing her gorgeous orange hair from her eyes. Sanji almost melted at just the mere sight. "Sorry, I just thought I'd get this." She held up her Captain's straw-hat in her hands before resting it atop her own head. "I figured he'd want it."

"Good luck everybody!" Usopp cried, popping up from his hiding place on the deck of his ship. The coward waved eagerly until he felt himself being lifted into the air. "Let me down!" He wailed.

"No way. You're not getting out of this one!" Sanji told him as he held Usopp above his head. The cook suddenly paused. "Damn you're heavy." He grunted as he dropped Usopp to the ground, grabbing him by his long nose and dragging him instead.

"We'll save you Robin!" Starfire declared, leaping ahead of the group and taking to the air, soaring at her top speed. She didn't care if everybody could tell how she felt for Robin; his life was in danger, so now wasn't the time to be shy!

"You're a monster." Robin growled, staring into the one evil eye of his arch-nemesis, Slade. The two were in a fierce standoff on the streets of Ianoa Island. It was now sunset, and the waning source of light cast frightening shadows across the landscape. Neither battered fighter wanted to make the first move; in all honesty, it was a miracle that either of them could still stand.

"Why Robin?" Slade asked, sincerity almost sounding in his deep, foreboding voice. "Because I want power? Because I want to bring order to this world? Or is it…" The terrorist took a menacing step forward, again tapping his staff against his palm. "Or is it because I wanted somebody to pass that power down to?"

Slade knew just how to play his young opponent. With a scream of rage Robin rushed forward, attacking fiercely with the mini-staff held in each of his hands. The Boy Wonder swiped both of his hands together, like a vice closing, but Slade simply ducked beneath it, throwing an uppercut into the Titan's stomach. Robin went soaring backwards, but was far too angry to stop now. He somehow managed to land on his feet, taking off at blinding speeds for another assault.

The three weapons met in a stand-off; Robin uncrossed his arms and sent himself reeling backwards from the force. However, Slade also stumbled back a few steps. The distraction was all the Teen Titan needed to land a hit; dashing forward, he moved beneath the fiend's staff and smashed his stick across his face. Several fragments of his mask broke off and scattered away from the two combatants. Not content to end with that, Robin span and hurled his other arm in for another skull-shattering hit.

Despite not even recovering from the first attack, Slade was still able to respond grandly. With the flick of his wrists he span his staff, knocking Robin's weapon right out of his hand. The Boy Wonder gasped in surprise, and then in pain as the other end of the staff planted its end in Robin's stomach. Landing in his back, Robin had no chance to recover as Slade span into a sweeping kick, sending the other staff flying from the Titan's grip.

Slade held his staff high in the air, thrusting its end straight toward Robin's stomach. Rolling to the side, the Boy Wonder grabbed the weapon and used it to pull himself to his feet. Pushing the pain aside, the hero focused on nothing but his rage as he sent a kick careening through the air; it shattered Slade's staff and planted itself straight into his face. Both fighters fell backwards, but then managed to convert their stumbling steps into momentum. A dazzling flash of punches and kicks manifested themselves.

Never taking a breath, Robin drove himself forward. His arms crossed back and forth in a green flash, and just when it seemed like they would never end he instead span, hurling his steel-tipped boots towards the target. However, the target in question was nearly impossible to hit. Slade ducked beneath high kicks, jumped above low ones, and fended off punches with his own forearms and attacks.

Just as it seemed like the stalemate would never end, it climaxed in a vengeful fit of punches by Slade. His superior strength slapped aside the Boy Wonder's punch, and as the boy staggered to the side, the terrorist ended this exchange by producing a nearly blinding assault. Punches spread out like a shotgun shell, hitting all across the teen's body. Robin fell to his knees, coughed up a bit of blood, and fell onto his back.

"So…t-this is how you end it Slade?" Robin asked, still using his remaining strength to try to speak. "You can—you c-can take the s-stone, but if you k-k-kill me you'll n-never have the ap-p-renctice you want." The boy coughed again, looking pitiful in his beaten state.

Slade loomed over his fallen opponent. Remaining silent, he leaned down and removed the Stone of Iso Toa from Robin's utility belt. The villain passed the stone between his fingers, finally basking in his glory. It had taken a lot of work and a lot of planning, but finally it was his again!

"Please Robin; you still think I want you as my apprentice?" Slade asked. Just thinking about it sent the man into a rare fit of laughter. "I've found somebody far stronger than you to pass my skills down to."

Robin's eyes shot open wide in resonation. "L-Luffy!"

"The thought crossed my mind," Slade began, "But after our battle I see that he isn't even as good as you. The boy has strength, I'll give him that, but he'll never be as fine a fighter as you."

As Robin was left pondering just how that could be possible, Slade paced past him and approached Captain Smoker's frozen form.

"Luffy could never have beaten this guy. However," Slade turned back to his fallen opponent. "You not only defeated him, but you did so in the same way I planned to myself!"

"W-What!" Robin was stunned. "B-but…he was your p-partner!"

"I don't need a partner." Slade spat. "I needed somebody to get me around this world, and eventually to you. With that taken care of, Smoker became nothing but a nuisance!" With a deep, menacing glare, the villain chuckled. "We're so much alike. It is a shame that we can't work together."

With a quick turn, the unusually talkative Slade began pacing in the other direction. "However, after your betrayal I no longer want an apprentice who doesn't have the desire to have my great skills for their own! I have a new apprentice who shares my great ambitions!"

Despite the deadly injuries he had sustained, Robin tried to right himself. Sweat poured down his body as he tried to push himself to his feet. "T-tell me who, Slade."

"All in due time Robin, all in due time." Slade crooned. Pacing back aside his former apprentice, one swift kick knocked the boy back to the ground. Turning his back to Robin, he began walking back toward Smoker's ship. "However, for now I must say my farewell. Give my regards to Luffy, if you can save him in time."

However, Slade's departure was quickly halted by the sound of the Titan's theme going off. Quickly spinning around, he noticed that the fallen Robin held his communicator in his hand. With the last of his energy he laughed; his friends would soon be there!

"Robin Robin…I'm disappointed." With one nearly blinding swipe the communicator exchanged hands; Slade crushed the device between his mighty fingers. "There's always been one major fault in you boy," he began as he slowly shook his head. "You depend far too much on your friends!"

Groaning in pain, the Teen Titan clutched his side as he slowly took the breath needed to speak. "My f-friends make m-me strong Slade!" The look of determination never left Robin's face.

"You're wrong!" Slade exclaimed, his tone actually changing into an unusually angry voice. "Strength comes from within! Others only drag you down!" His eyebrow arched down low, just giving a hint of the horrendous frown that must be hiding beneath that mask. "Apprentices, partners, even friends…are all useful to a point; but when you put your complete trust in them, that's when you lose your strength! That's when they take your strength instead, and there's no excuse for that!"

Robin's rebuttal was cut off by a boot to his gut. Slade drove his foot further into the injured warrior's stomach, taking great joy in the boy's screams. Slade had planned on leaving, but upon hearing the boy's naïve ideas about friends he just had to change his course of action a bit. With each attack Robin just screamed harder, calling for Starfire in his mind over and over.

Slade's anger finally cooled, and he removed his leg from atop the boy's chest. With a chuckle he stepped back a few paces, removing the red crystal from his belt. Slowly turning it in one hand, he pulled out his energy gun with the other. He twirled it in his hand like a cowboy before pointing its barrel straight toward the stone.

"Believe it or not Robin, this stone contains great power." Slade began. "The Stone of Iso Toa has always possessed strange abilities. When exposed to different energies, it reacts in interesting ways." His finger started to pull back on the trigger. "That's why I baited Starfire back at the cave. I knew the stone would create some sort of chain reaction allowing me to escape; however, a teleportation was the last thing I expected."

With a chuckle, his finger finally pulled back on the trigger completely. "Now let's see how the Iso Toa reacts to the energy from my blaster!" A beam of red energy, surrounded by jagged sparks of red and orange electricity, exploded from the blaster, colliding with the Stone of Iso Toa held only a few feet away. The jewel began to glow a deep crimson hue. The air around Slade rippled and fluctuated as energy continued to build inside the stone.

Finally the energy reached its peak, billowing out into a red field surrounding Slade. The entire street began to crumble as any ground not already damaged by the numerous battles chipped and shattered under the incredible stress. A spiraling beam of red energy flared into the air, shining like a beacon in the night sky. Just the pure force of the maneuver sent Robin flying; the Boy Wonder was slammed against the outside of a nearby building, still helpless.

"The target isn't there!" Slade exclaimed. He thrusted a hand straight towards Robin, still suspended against the building by the energy. "It's here." Robin gasped, shocked at Slade's change in demeanor. "I was going to let you live to see my destruction, Robin, but since you insist on resisting me until the end, I'll make the end come now!"

The energy blast in the air extinguished, and the field around Slade shimmered as another beam shot off straight towards Robin. The attack spiraled through the air, its roar blocking out all other sounds. Just as the Boy Wonder accepted his death and closed his eyes, he heard a new noise.

A breeze passed through, and with a mighty scream Robin could hear a soft explosion in front of him. He finally opened his eyes, recognizing that noise.

"Starfire!" Robin exclaimed.

The beautiful alien girl floated in front of Robin, between him and his impending death. A mighty Starbeam blew from her eyes; around each of her hands several Starbolts had focused together into energy balls, with green beams shooting from each of them as well. The three stupendous blasts connected with the end of Slade's attack, just barely managing to hold it back.

"Did you think I would not come?" Starfire asked coyly, never taking her gaze away from her job of saving both of their lives.

"I knew you'd never let me down." Said Robin with a relieved smile.

Realizing that he hadn't stopped the distress call in time, Slade pulled even tighter on the trigger. Unfortunately, red sparks began to fly from his gun. The fiend grunted slightly as he hung the overheating weapon on his belt—for quick access if needed—and prepared to face the Titans once again. Without energy to feed it, the Iso Toa stopped glowing, and the effects of its attack faded away.

With the energy gone, Robin's body quickly fell to the ground. With one quick dash Starfire caught her friend; a slow descent then brought her face to face with her sworn enemy. A green fire burnt in Star's eyes as she exchanged stares with Slade, Robin still sprawled out in her arms.

"I will not let you escape." She said firmly. "Drop the stone before I must take it by force."

"Just how do you plan to do that Starfire?" Slade asked, not lowering his arms an inch. "Do you really think that you can fight me and protect Robin at the same time?"

The Tamaranian gasped as her gaze darted quickly between her best friend and her worst enemy. Stopping Slade was her top priority, but could she really risk Robin's life to do so?

Just as both prepared to make a move, they were stopped by strange noises. A panicked survey of the battlefield indicated that they were coming from the frozen body of Luffy. Before either could react, the frozen pillar exploded! Shards of ice buffeted the battlefield like a hailstorm.

"…BALLOON!" Luffy finally finished. His body had expanded into a giant rubber balloon; the rubberman now opened his mouth, letting the air escape. He whirled through the air before landing on the ground with a thud.

Slade couldn't believe it. Luffy wasn't trying to defend against the explosives back when they battled—he had been trying to deflect them with his Rubber Balloon! Even though he had frozen the boy solid, that technique and the air he had already swallowed finally inflated him enough to break through the ice!

What kind of person was this rubberman!

Monkey D. Luffy rose to his feet, his entire body chattering as he tried to warm his blue skin. As he finally started to warm up, he noticed an icicle hanging from his nose; he broke it off and began sucking on it.

Robin laughed at his friend's unusual return to the world of the living. Starfire too enjoyed the sight, until she realized what it meant.

"Slade!" she exclaimed. He turned to see Starfire facing him with a huge smile plastered across her face. "You asked how I could combat you and protect Robin, right?" Slade slowly nodded, his eye growing wide as he realized what she was getting at. "Well, I don't have to! I'll protect, and Luffy can fight!"

Luffy jumped upon hearing his name. He slowly raised his line of vision and moved his head back and forth, just now remembering where he was and what he was doing. Finally he stopped as his eyes met with Slade's.

"That's right! I remember now! I was fighting you!" exclaimed the rubberman. A grimace crawled across Luffy's face as he growled a deep growl. "You're the one who made me this cold!" He cried as he charged forward. Luffy began spinning like a top, becoming nothing but a blur.

"Rubber Propeller!" Luffy announced as his spiraling hands continually slapped Slade, catching him up in the never-ending attacks. The warrior finally broke free of the attacks—completely dazed, barely able to stand. Slade looked like he was drunk. With her free hand Starfire launched off a Starbolt; the green blast of energy collided with the fiend's stomach and hurled him across the battlefield.

Slade's flight ended as he hit what felt like a brick wall. However, he quickly realized what it really was as he was grabbed up in a steel-like grip that nearly crushed his ribs.

"Well, look who came to play!" Cyborg laughed, holding Slade with his mechanically-enhanced grip. The other Titans and Straw Hats stood decked out behind him.

Slade couldn't believe how easily he had been caught! Of course, now wasn't the time to dwell on that! After the speech he had given on friendship, this was no time to allow himself to be beaten by it!

Raven walked up behind Starfire, stretching out her arms as she prepared to heal Robin. However, the Boy Wonder waved her aside. "We may need you to go inside Slade's mind to find out how to get us home." Robin told her, never taking even his injured mind off the serious issues. "So save your strength."

"Wait, you're gonna leave us now?" Luffy asked, looking sad.

"You can't leave! I'm going to miss you too much!" Chopper cried out.

Usopp gasped as he looked to Terra. She was going to leave! They hardly had time to be together! Beast Boy stepped in front of her, grinning his sly little grin. The changeling knew when he had won. However, they were both then swept up into headlocks by Terra herself.

"I don't think we have to leave _right_ away," she smiled, squeezing tighter at the two lovesick teens held in her grip. "We have to celebrate first! I'm assuming you have a decent jail on that ship of yours."

"It's good enough to hold him for a little while, as long as we have a guard." Smirking, Nami turned to Zoro. "As long as we have a guard..."

"Fine woman, I'll be your guard!" Zoro grumbled. "Just be sure to bring me some beer down there!"

"A celebration! Glorious!" Starfire handed Robin to Raven, dashing back and forth. "I shall break out the zapnorkeses to prepare for the celebration!"

"Zapnorkeses?" Usopp echoed.

"Believe me; you're better off not even knowing." Beast Boy sighed.

"But then it's settled!" Cyborg exclaimed, thrusting an arm into the air. "We're having a party!"

Just as the words left Cyborg's mouth, the ground started to shake. The ground beneath them nearly caved in as buildings crumbled, shattering and falling to the ground in nothing but huge piles of debris.

"What the hell's going on!" Sanji cried as the unexpected kept popping its ugly head up. Slade sure didn't know the answer, but he wasn't going to let a situation like this go to waste. He loosened an arm, piledriving his elbow into Cyborg's face. The mechanical man fell backwards as Slade wasted no time in attacking. He pulled his gun from his belt—it was once again back to full capacity—and launched a shot at Smoker's boat. The shot severed a rope holding a lifeboat onto the ship; it fell into the water.

The water in the harbor seemed to explode as a giant red wall emerged from it. As water dripped down the sides, it could be seen that it wasn't just a wall, but an entire vessel that had surfaced. Red walls on the top unfolded sideways, revealing a top deck.

Slade leaped into the life boat, and with a maniacal laugh, tossed the Stone of Iso Toa into the air. "I'm sorry Titans, but now is the time for my exit!" He pulled one final disk of explosives from his belt and tossed it straight towards the stone. Of course, it exploded on contact; however, the explosion only seemed to be sucked into the stone. The jewel slowly floated back into Slade's hands, a strange yellow ball pulsing around it. He attached it to the back of his boat, smiling.

The energy exploded into a huge gust of wind, launching the life boat forward so fast that what water hadn't been disrupted by the red vessel's emergence quickly showered over the docks. That quickly, Slade had gone from captured to just plain gone.

Even worse, he had the Stone of Iso Toa with him! The Teen Titans were now stranded in a strange world, with absolutely no hope of getting home!

A figure emerged on the deck of the boat, walking to the edge as the rumbling finally ceased. He was an old man, probably in his late fifties, with short grey hair and a distinguished face. He wore a tight red suit, similar in appearance to latex, yet not completely form fitting. It looked as if it highlighted more muscles than he actually had.

"What a shame. It got away." The old man sighed.

"Hey old man! Who are you?" Luffy called, throwing tact down the toilet as he usually did.

The man's lowered his face to stare at the odd assortment of heroes; the final shadows of the day shining across his wrinkles added to the aura of mystery around the man.

"I have no business with you fools." He grunted, turning his chin to them. "You let the great power get away!"

"Wait a second father." A second voice called. Zoro gasped; that voice sounded familiar, and not in a good way!

As the second figure walked out of the shadows, Zoro didn't need light to tell who he was. The blood red sheath on the man's waste—unable to be hidden in the shadows—told him everything he needed to know.

"Ian!" Zoro exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing here!"

"Roronoa Zoro." Ian smirked as he walked besides his father. "So you had the great power all along! But what a fool you are! I can't believe you let it get away!"

"Who's that guy Zoro?" Luffy asked. "He has a cool sword."

"He's a bastard!" Zoro exclaimed.

Raven sighed. "He's an incredibly strong enemy, that's who he is."

"Come now…can't we be friends?" Ian smiled, opening his arms as if he wanted to hug them.

The Straw Hat Pirates and the Teen Titans braced themselves, ready for whatever was in store for them.

Next Time: Floating Stone—The Cult of the Iso Toa


	9. Chapter 9

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 9: Floating Stone—The Cult of the Iso Toa**

"There's no time for this Ian." The old man grunted, pushing the boy aside and walking back towards the door. "The great power is getting away, and these fools are no longer of any use!"

Ian hissed as he stared at Zoro and his accomplices standing below him. This wasn't supposed to be how it worked! Even if he had lost the great power, Zoro still deserved to be punished!

"Father!" the swordsman cried, dashing out of the heroes' line of sight and to the old man's side. "Don't you remember the plan? That's Roronoa Zoro! He was supposed to be our hero! We need to make him pay for letting us down!"

"Of course I remember!" Ian's father exclaimed, knocking his son aside with a backhand. The warrior only rubbed his cheek in shock as the old man continued. "What you don't remember, son, is what the power will do for us! It means prosperity for all of us, and that's far more important than revenge for you!"

Ian's face dropped—the boy truly looked crushed. He couldn't believe his father even thought that! All these years he had spent pursuing what seemed like a hopeless cause were for his people! That was why Zoro had angered him so much! When hope had finally arrived, it turned into this sordid affair!

The thoughts of revenge, the taunting—all of it was for the people! Yet…yet he received no credit for it!

The cruel figure continued his pace towards the lower deck. "It's time to set sail. Ian," he turned his face to his son, making sure the boy received the full impact of the command. "Ian, they know of us. That information cannot be leaked. I'm assuming you've recovered enough power to silence them?"

Ian rose to his feet, keeping his back turned to his father. "Yes sir." He sighed, gripping the blade of his sword as he strolled to the edge of the deck. Sweat poured down the swordman's forehead; as much as he wanted to see Zoro dead, he hated for it to come this way. In all truthfulness, he knew he couldn't finish them as he was anyway. Yet, he had to follow his father's orders. Even in times not as urgent as these, ignoring that man led to dire consequences.

"You will do no such thing." A third voice commanded. Both figures jumped upon hearing it. "Ivan, I want them to come with us. They'll fill our needs nicely."

The old man's eyes grew wide. Only one person on this entire vessel would call him by his real name!

Both Ivan and Ian—father and son—stood at attention, bodies tense. A third figure emerged onto the ship's upper deck, moving slowly but with a walk that commanded authority. It came as a surprise to most that such power was held by an old woman. Yet, not a single person on that ship would dare defy her very will.

"Mother." Ivan uttered, bowing slightly. "What a pleasure it is to see you."

A smile crawled across the old woman's weathered face. She had brittle white hair curled into a bun, and was clothed in a large purple dress. She was definitely tall for an old woman, but age had taken a toll—she stood in a hunch, supported by a cane. Still, an odd aura followed her. She still had a look that could send shivers down your spine. It was evident that she was once quite beautiful—and even deadlier.

This was Mother, leader of these people. It was doubtful that she was actually mother to anybody in the clan, but all her followers considered her their mother anyway.

"Likewise, Ivan." She nodded. She continued her crippled walk to the ledge, already knowing what she would see. As always, her perception didn't let her down; the twelve standing at the bottom of the ship were the ones she'd been seeing in her visions. "Yes, these are definitely the ones. I want them here—we NEED them."

With a nod and an annoyed grunt, Ivan moved towards the helm of the ship. Mother's eyebrows arched at the sound of the grunt.

"You don't have to do it, you know." She reminded him. "I appointed you our leader. I only advise you."

_Bullshit! _Ian thought, though he wouldn't dare say it out loud. His father may take command of this ship, but he was in no way their leader. Even if she didn't give the orders, she controlled them from behind. Her will was law, and Ian hated it. He may have been the only one of the Iso-jin who hated Mother in fact, but her insistence in her ideas being followed sickened him. It made him truly doubt whether she was in it for the people or not. Whether or not she could see the future, something just seemed fishy with her.

Still, Ian had to hand it to her on one account. The prophecy had been fully accurate so far.

Ivan, however, chastised himself in his mind for doubting Mother's plan. "No Mother, I admire your vision. I know if you want it then it is for the best." Pressing a button on the helm, the ship began to rumble as a door opened far below.

Ian hid a smile as the three filed down to meet their guests. Whatever the old woman had in store, Ian was happy just to know that Zoro wouldn't go unpunished. Not if he was on this ship.

"Get down here you bastard!" Zoro cried, waving his arms wildly. It was a useless endeavor—Ian had already left their line of vision—but the green-haired swordsman continued on anyway. "I won't let you get away with that smart grin of yours—get down here and face me!"

The others were just left to stare at either Zoro or the ship in wonder, trying to figure out just what had happened.

"I don't understand how this is even possible!" Usopp exclaimed as he rubbed his hand along the ship's hull. "It seems to be made of stone! Not just a lining, not just a portion—this entire ship is made of stone! I just don't get how this thing can float!"

Cyborg waved his arm along the side of the vessel, staring into his radar as it made beeping noises. "My databanks don't even know what sort of rock this is. This is freaky!"

Usopp pulled a hammer from his bag and began chipping away at the giant red wall—or trying at least. Not a single stone would fall off.

With a gasp Cyborg's jaw dropped as he saw what the sniper was doing. "Wait, maybe that's not such a g—"

The mechanical man's warning was cut off as Sanji appeared, pushing Usopp's hammer aside. "Let me give it a whack." He interrupted; Usopp happily moved away as the cook leaped into the air, whirling into a kick. Sanji's destructive foot met with the massive stone hull; however, instead of the hull cracking Sanji just fell to the ground in a heap, cradling his foot.

Nami broke into hysterical laughter at the sight of it, but Starfire rushed to his side. "Are you okay?" she asked, leaning down and holding the chef's foot.

"I am now that you're here, Star-kun!" Sanji smiled sweetly, hearts flying from his head. He stared at his foot in wonder, as if it was a holy object now.

Taking this all in stride, as she usually did, it was Raven who decided to take charge. "Well, now that we've lost our way home there aren't many options." She began. "One, we could try tracking Slade right away. Or there's two, where we stick around and see what these guys want." Turning her head towards Ian's boat, Raven looked confused as to what they should do next. "Ian seemed to know a lot about the Iso Toa when Zoro fought him; maybe they can help us track him."

"Work with him!" Zoro screamed in shock. His anger only increased as Raven nodded yes. "I'll never work with him!"

"I agree with Zoro!" Terra exclaimed, charging forward. "They helped Slade get away, so they can't be on our side!" Stopping at the base of the ship, the Earth-mover's hands began to glow yellow as she glared at the vessel. "If it's rock, then I can crush it!"

A yellow aura exploded around Terra before vanishing as she let loose a mighty scream. Silence seemed the only effect of her endeavor, until finally the ship began to rumble. The eyes of the ménage grew wide as a large portion of the ship's side seemed to cave into itself, opening wide like a door.

"Incredible Terra!" Usopp exclaimed, almost drooling. "Of course, if I had kept hammering the entire ship would have caved in." he lied. For once, nobody sighed or hit him; they were all far too entranced by the ship's fate.

Beast Boy slowly stepped backwards, trembling a bit. "Nice going," he growled, "If we destroy their ship it just means another fight! What were you thinking!"

A deep rumble built in the back of Terra's throat, but before she could unleash the mighty growl Raven again intervened. "She wasn't." the girl simply said. "However, I don't think she did that. Look how it's opening, almost like a door."

"I agree." Robin added. Raven jumped a bit; it was his first sign of life since they arrived. She set the boy down, and somehow he managed to remain on his feet this time. "Thanks," he smiled, "But we better get ready for out introductions, whatever they might bring."

As the ship finished rumbling and figures appeared in the doorway, the small troop prepared themselves. Starfire rose to her feet, her eyes and hands glowing. Raven moved to the forefront, a trail of black not only following her but also leaking from within her cloak. Zoro crouched down low, his fingers eagerly twitching along the handle of his katana.

"There's no need for hostility." Ivan announced, jumping onto land first. The group moved back as he was quickly followed by two more figures. Ian appeared next, trying to hold an enigmatic look—his aggravation towards the situation leaked through into his expression anyway. Mother rounded out the pack, a sweet smile never leaving her face.

Ivan looked cheerful as he raised his arms in a sign of peace. "I realize that my son and Roronoa Zoro have had their differences, but we mean no harm now. I understand we have the same goals, and that you know more about the thief of the great power. Perhaps you would be willing to work together?"

"We'll have to talk about it first." Robin said, slowly moving towards the massive stone ship. "That wouldn't hurt, would it?

"No, that would be perfect." Ivan smiled, gesturing towards their ship. "Come, everything you need is just inside."

As the Teen Titans started to move inside, Robin turned towards the Straw Hat Pirates. Scratching at his shoulder shyly, he began. "We've all gotten you into a lot of trouble. There's no need for you to come with us anymore. I'm sure you all want to get back to your journey."

The pirates looked stunned—all except for Luffy. He grabbed his straw hat from Nami's head and returned it to its rightful place. "You're funny." The rubberman laughed as he walked past Robin and onto the ship.

"I guess it's decided then." Sanji smiled as he took a deep drag on his cigarette, following his captain. Zoro came next—still grumbling—followed by an elated Usopp and Chopper.

"It's for the best." Nami laughed, flashing a smile at Robin as she filed in last. "If these guys have stuff like this boat, I'm sure we'll get a big reward for helping!"

And with that out of the way, the Straw Hat's and the Teen Titans embarked on a new mission.

The twelve warriors were led through a small hallway to a grand room. Each sat apon a large cushion that brought them all up to level with an antique table. Not even the odd assortment of mangled characters could detract from the elegance of this room.

After all his guests were sat, Ivan took a seat at the head of the table. Ian sat at his left, while Mother proudly took the right. "Before we begin, I figured you could all use a meal and a little freshening up." Luffy cried out at the mention of a meal, but the distinguished gentleman ignored him and simply snapped his fingers. On his command the door flew open as a single figure entered.

Luffy's excitement over their impending meal was replaced by a gleeful cheer from Sanji. The figure who now emerged was a young woman, seemingly perfect in appearance. She had curves in all the right places, and her proper red clothing didn't even attempt to obscure them. Her striking black hair rested perfectly upon her shoulders, and a set of thin glasses sat atop her nose.

"And who might this be?" Sanji asked, rising a bit in his seat to catch a better view. As he started to stand completely upright, he felt a force pull him back onto his butt. Taking a shocked glimpse around, the cook caught Raven sneaking an energy covered hand back beneath her cloak. He wasn't amused.

"This is Chiyu." Ivan said, holding out his arm in introduction. The young woman bowed, and this time Sanji wasn't alone in going after a good view. "Chiyu is one of our best students—a master in the healing arts. You look tired; I figured you could all use a good rest."

Robin breathed a sigh of relief as the others around him clamored in agreement. Raven, however, took interest in another part of that statement. She was interested in seeing the healing arts they used here and how they differed from the spells she knew.

Chiyu crossed her arms, closing her eyes as she began to speak with her gentle voice. "I'll need you to all sit very still for this."

"YES!" Sanji cried. "Anything for you!"

"And be very quiet." Chiyu continued angrily. The cook muffled his own response as the woman began her spell. She began to utter muffled magic words at an auctioneer's pace, and the magic wasted no time in responding. A circle of red energy appeared around her as wisps of her hair flittered into the air. Gusts of red energy blew across the room, embracing the heroes in a soothing breeze.

The injuries of the group began to disappear, with cuts and bruises fading into nothingness. The reminders of Slade's explosives vanished from Luffy's body, and his shirt even returned to normal. Zoro's scar from the Luminescent Whip disappeared, and while even this magic couldn't remove the scar given by Hawkeye, the shirt he lost to Ian reappeared.

Even Robin, the warrior injured the most, became good as new. The bloodstained bandages covering his entire chest disintegrated, and the wounds they were covering receded into non-existence. The purple bruises shrank until they ached no more, and every cut seemed to vanish into thin air.

Chiyu uncrossed her arms and opened her eyes. The red magic died down, dispersing itself into the air. For once, silence was the sound heard in this rowdy group as they stared in amazement at her magical prowess.

Raven's eyes had been glowing an eerie hue of white the entire time. She had never seen any magic like it, but now she would never forget it. However, it wasn't the amazing effects of the spell that astounded Raven. The power the magic emitted even seemed overwhelmingly powerful to her—as it should have, since traces of it flared all across the ship.

"Thank you Chiyu." Ivan continued. With another snap of his fingers the doors again opened. The healer moved aside as nearly a dozen similarly dressed individuals wheeled in carts and carts of food. The parade of food seemed like it would never end. Luffy's eyes rolled backwards in his head, and the rubberman nearly passed out.

Already realizing what sort of people he was dealing with, Ivan only had two more words for his guests: "DIG IN!"

With just those two words, the biggest food frenzy that ship had ever seen began. Luffy's rubber arms flailed about, grabbing food just as his companions were about to take a bite. Fortunately, it seemed that Ivan's kitchen was well prepared, as more and more food was continually wheeled in.

In another vacuum-like inhalation, Luffy swallowed all the food in front of him—and the plate. The rubberman frowned as he looked for somebody open. The target this time just happened to be Cyborg. Snickering, the captain figured this would just be his way of saying he won that eating contest back on the Merry Go. With one well-placed swing of his elastic arm Luffy had snapped his mechanical friend's dinner.

An alert rang in the metal-man's head as he saw his food taken away, but Cyborg certainly didn't need any sort of scanner to figure out what happened. He pointed his left arm towards his airborne plate; his entire forearm detached and launched itself, attached to its owner by a thick cable.

Thus, Luffy and Cyborg's second great food struggle began.

A glob of food hurled itself at Ian's head—the teen barely managed to duck beneath it. He sighed, finally realizing why Zoro was the way he was. Who could help it if they hung with heathens like this? What could Mother possibly see helpful about them?

Mother, though, knew exactly what these youngsters could do. Though she had been doubtful herself at first, her visions never lied. They were the ones she had been looking forward to all this time.

They were _perfect._

Finally, the assistants wheeled the last tray of trash from the room. Giving a curt bow, Chiyu followed them and closed the doors behind her. Finally, it was time for the deliberations to begin.

Monkey D. Luffy again lay over-inflated in his chair. However, the other 11 now paid rapt attention, knowing that even the hospitality they had been shown could be for naught if they blew this chance.

Having already declared dinner over, Ivan now stood and pushed his chair beneath the table. "Well, now that we've finished our meal it is time to get to the real issue at hand. My name is Ivan, and I lead the people you have met living upon this boat. We call ourselves the 'Iso-jin', and we have something in common with you." His guests nodded as he pressed a button beneath the table—the lights dimmed, and an image appeared on the wall behind him.

"This is the great power, better known to you as the Stone of Iso Toa." Ivan began. "It seems that we both have a great deal invested in this jewel. Care to share?"

Robin was hesitant to go first, but every second spent here made it seem less hazardous. "My friends and I come from another dimension, or so we figure. The man who stole the stone from us—Slade—was the one who originally stole it back in our world. Through an unbelievable twist, it somehow brought us here. We simply want to return home."

"I see," Ivan responded. "The teleportation was no doubt a result of the great power's urge to collect and use more energy—as well as to return home."

"Return home?" Cyborg asked.

"Of course!" Mother exclaimed, leaping to her feet. "If we know if the great power, then it obviously did not come from your world!"

Ivan smirked at his leader's outburst. "This is the first Iso-jin, our great Mother. She knows more of the great power than any of us—in fact, she was here when it still belonged to us."

Beast Boy's eyes grew wide. "Mother?" he echoed, shaking his head back and forth between the old man and the even older woman. "Geez old man, I figured it was impossible for you to be young enough to have any parents left!"

Even Ian couldn't smother his laughter, and his harmonized with the laughter of his guests. His father, however, didn't exactly take very happily to the statement.

"She's not _my_ mother." He growled, sending a fierce glare Beast Boy's way. He didn't see his punishment however; Beast Boy had already been knocked out cold by successive slaps from Raven and Terra. "Mother helped unite us all, and has been leading the effort to revive this dying island for decades!"

Not waiting for a cue, Mother began a speech. "Ianoa Island was just once a simple town, famous for its skill in creating swords. However, everything changed when the great power appeared. It was constantly searching for more energy to absorb—greater powers to achieve—but at the same time it emitted its own immeasurable power. This island soon lost its trademark craft as it relied more and more upon the luxuries the great power provided us."

Several of the more intelligent people in the room exchanged confused glances as they tried to figure out why the old lady was referring to the Iso Toa as an animate object, but she wasn't deterred by their inability to understand. She was so wrapped up in her speech that it was doubtful she noticed.

"However, that was fine with us. We were happy with our new lives—until the great power was taken away from us suddenly. It was so chaotic that nobody, not even me, can remember what the tragedy was. All I can remember from that day was the cataclysmic strike that sent the great power hurling into the unknown." With a sigh, Mother sat down. "I can only assume that the great power ended up in your universe somehow."

The Iso-jin paused for a second to let it all sink in. Some just looked amazed—Usopp in particular seemed enthused by the story—but Nami only looked perplexed. Between the information she had retrieved in her years of service for Arlong and the books she had managed to take from the Drum Kingdom's royal library, the thief figured that she knew every bit of history there was in this world. Yet, she could remember no record of a giant cataclysm in this part of the Grand Line; but something that damaging would most certainly deem a place in the history books!

This time Ian stood—he knew the rest of this stuff by heart. "After the great power vanished, Ianoa Island fell into a horrible recession. The people had become so lazy that they forgot how to make swords. To this day this town cannot remember its trademark craft, and in all actuality I doubt most inhabitants even realize we once had one.

"Upon seeing how this state wore upon the villagers, Mother longed for the great lives they once had. She formed the Iso-jin, rounding up Ianoa's best to help her in the search for the great power and the chance to rebuild the lives of these villagers."

Realizing he was losing his listeners, Ivan decided to wrap it up. "She rounded up the last of the remaining items produced by the great power and organized this troop. Ever since that time we've been searching for the great power."

"Wait, is this boat one of those final items?" Usopp asked. "I can't see any other reason why this thing would float."

"Indeed it is." Ivan smiled. "This boat, the _Ehever_, was created by the great power. This is why it can float, and also why it can travel underwater. It has been the Iso-jin's base since we were formed; hidden underwater, so the locals can remain unaware of our existence."

"And let me guess," Zoro grunted, "Ian's sword is one of these special items too?"

Ian laughed. "Yes, Roronoa Zoro. Eehuah was, in fact, the first item created by the great power. It was a successful attempt to show the people of this island how to make a real sword!"

"This is all pretty hard to believe." Nami finally managed to say.

"I tend to agree, even after the many fantastic things I've seen." Raven backed her up.

"I can see why you would think that," Ivan replied with a smile, "but your story isn't the most believable either. I guarantee you that this story is 100 true, but it shouldn't matter. We both need that stone. You need us to track it, and we need you to deal with Slade."

The mood tensioned as the intimidating figure leaned forward. "So, do we have a partnership?"

With Luffy unconscious, both the Titans and the Straw Hat's turned to Robin to make the decision. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as the Boy Wonder deliberated. Just as he was about to make a decision, a thought came to his mind.

"Wait a second." Robin thought out loud. "If you all had no clue what happened to the Iso Toa, how have you spent all this time looking? What could have kept you occupied all these years without any results?"

Mother seemed to pounce on this question. "Any way we can. We collected clues; we tried to use the remaining objects to locate it. Hope springs eternal Robin…we did anything we could do."

Both Ivan and Ian again seemed stunned. Why hadn't she mentioned her visions? Of course, neither spoke up. You just didn't defy Mother's will like that.

Zoro's ears perked at the old lady's response. Hadn't Ian mentioned something about some prophecy? Of course, he then abandoned the thought. It was no doubt just more of Ian's pompous act to intimidate him. "That bastard." The swordsman whispered under his breath.

Thoughts raced through Robin's mind. He still didn't believe this story; at least not all of it. At the same time, however, they really didn't have any way to find Slade or the Stone; the Iso-jin did. Robin cursed himself for becoming too enraged to plant a tracker on Slade when he should have. However, none of that made a difference now. It was the past, and now a decision had to be made.

"Mr. Ivan," Robin began, extending his hand, "We have a partnership."

Next time: Departure—Fantastic Journey to Confrontation


	10. Chapter 10

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 10: Departure—Fantastic Journey to Confrontation**

Shadows still covered most of the streets of Ianoa Island, but this time it wasn't from the sunset. Both the Straw Hats and the Iso-jin wanted the night to get things ready, so wait the night they did. The various teams worked hours on end to make the proper preparations.

However, the night was nearly over, and it was almost time to set sail. Slade had already been given too much time to run—even if he was just in a simple lifeboat, he _did_ have the Iso Toa. Who knew what sort of tricks he could be pulling?

The Teen Titans and Straw Hats stood on the top deck of the Ehever, gazing at the town and the damage that had been done to it. It was for the best that they left before anything else befell these poor people.

"I'm done!" Usopp exclaimed, pushing open the door to the deck and promptly collapsing onto the wooden floor. "I've loaded the last of the supplies from the Merry Go." He gasped.

Nami strolled up to his collapsed body. "Great!" She exclaimed. "But I hope you made sure to lock all the doors, lower the sails and," as the navigator continued she sent an unhappy glare Luffy's way, "and to take down the flag."

"Of course I did…" Usopp managed to spit out, still gasping for air between each word.

"Fantastic!" Nami exclaimed. Usopp outstretched his shaking hand—hoping to be helped to his feet—but the girl seemed completely oblivious to it as she walked right past. "This means that we're almost ready to leave!"

"Nope: we're definitely ready." The group turned to see Robin leap over the edge of the ship, pulling a rope behind him. He unwrapped the rope from around the railings; it was attached to a Redbird projectile, and propelled by a grappling launcher. "I attached the rest of my Subzero Disks to Smoker. They're all on time release, so every few hours one should go off. Not even one of the surviving Marines will be able to free him."

"Well, that means the Merry Go will be safe while we're gone then." Chopper smiled. "I guess there's nothing else to take care of before we leave."

"There most certainly isn't." Ivan said. The man stood in the open doorway, watching his guests. "We're done on our side too, so there's nothing left to do but retrieve the Great Power."

"That's right." Robin growled. "The only thing left to take care of is Slade."

Ivan turned, walking back into the ship. "You're all welcome to do as you wish while we're traveling. Just ask anybody on the ship for assistance if you need it."

Intrigued by the offer, and knowing the luxuries these Iso-jin possessed, the troop of heroes filed into the ship to see just what there was to offer.

However, Usopp still lay motionless on the hard floor. "Uh, a little help guys?" he whimpered.

So it came to pass that the Straw Hats, the Teen Titans, and the Iso-jin finally left Ianoa Island. However, their presence would never be forgotten. For on this island, there was still a battered restaurant, a jilted bartender, and villagers who just couldn't believe their eyes. The town square had been reduced to a crater from the fight with Buggy and Alvida, but the two villains were now nowhere to be found. A Marine ship and a Pirate ship both remained strangely docked on an island not accustomed to either.

A frozen cloud of smoke seemed indefinitely permafrosted to the ground, but the streets and buildings around it were cracked and battered from the quick succession of battles that had ravaged it. Even their harbor seemed broken and strangely low on water after the Ehever's emergence.

But this was not the time to dwell on these things. The future of these heroes had been carried off by a madman, and he still had to be stopped.

The Ehever's prison lay deep within the ship—only the engine rooms were buried any further. The dank walls and lack of light were not very inviting, but fortunately not many ever dared to oppose the Iso-jin. Plus, those who did rarely lived.

A rare beam of bright light intruded into the barracks as a lone figure quietly walked into the room. Only one person inhabited any of the cells; she groaned and covered her glassy eyes from the glare.

Ian snickered a bit under his breath as he closed the door and walked towards the cell. She was awake today—they'd have to up her dosage of tranquilizers. He quickly produced a key from his coat pocket, opening the cell and placing a plate of food at the prisoner's feet.

The prisoner reached slowly for the food, shivering. "Why are you keeping me here?" She managed to ask.

"Dear sweet Tashigi," Ian smiled, "that doesn't matter. Zoro seems to care for you for whatever deranged reason, and when the time comes you'll be very handy."

"Don't you realize I'm a Marine?" Tashigi continued. The Marine smiled, regaining a bit of her previous courage as her sedatives slowly wore off. "My Captain is the Great White Hunter, Captain Smoker, and he won't let you get away with this!"

The Crystal Swordsman laughed out loud as he walked out of the cell, slamming the door behind him. He remained silent he walked across the prison, resting his hand on the handle that would allow him to leave.

"My dear, Captain Smoker has already met his defeat." Ian informed her as he returned to the halls of the Ehever. The heavy door to the prison slammed with a deafening thud, but with the chaos running through Tashigi's mind she couldn't even hear it.

Smoker was defeated? The fragile figure curled up into the fetal position, covering her head. No, it couldn't be! Smoker couldn't be beaten!

Two white eyes glowed ominously in the corner, watching the entire ordeal. Then, as if they couldn't bear Tashigi's sorrow anymore, they disappeared.

As Ian stepped into the hallway and the door slammed behind him, Chiyu was standing besides the entranceway.

"We need more sedatives." He told her. Chiyu nodded her head in response, and then moved to the teen's side, placing her arm on the small of his back. Ian wrapped his arm around her delicate shoulders, and the two walked down the hallway.

"I'll be sure to get more tomorrow." Chiyu told him. However, she quickly let the business drop. Almost as fast as the words were out of her mouth, she had leaned her head and rested it upon her lover's neck. "So…tell me Ian, are there more prisoners to feed?"

The glee couldn't be hidden from Ian's face. Even if he had been raised in a cult all his life—even if he had been trained for a specific purpose all his days—Ian was still a teenage boy, and Chiyu was the perfect prize for a teenage boy.

"Actually, Father gave me the day off." Ian smiled. "And since I'm going into battle tomorrow, I _was_ hoping we could have a little fun."

'Nobody ever comes down here!' Ian thought as he span, wrapping Chiyu into his embrace and pushing them both against a wall. She smiled and puckered up as the two teen's lips met; they were far too impatient to even wait to get back to their rooms. In all reality, this would be a much better place to buy some time away from Ivan.

"So, you two are an item!" Zoro exclaimed. Ian gasped, leaping backwards and raising his arms into the air. However, upon the sight of Zoro he quickly regained his composure. The green-haired swordsman whistled. "That was unexpected!"

Ian's eyebrows crumpled into a fierce arch, anger oozing from his pores. Nothing could infuriate the young warrior like the sight of that man. "Why do you care?" he asked. "In fact, just what the hell are you doing down here anyway?"

"Your father said I could do whatever I wanted." Zoro bragged. "So, I thought I would inform your little girlfriend that you're kidnapping woman from all over the place."

Chiyu's eyes glanced back and forth between her boyfriend and the prison, but Ian just laughed. "Did you think she didn't know about Tashigi? We all know, and let me tell you Roronoa Zoro, I'm not letting her go. Not until I get my revenge!"

"Revenge for what?" Zoro asked. "You were the one who attacked me!"

"For what?" Ian asked, veins bulging from his neck. "You wouldn't hand over the great power! If you had just cooperated we could already be helping my home! But now we have to work with you and go through so much more trouble!"

"You're right, but now we're working together regardless of what happened." Zoro stared at the other swordsman with unwavering resolve—he didn't even blink. "Allies don't keep hostages, Ian."

The crystal swordsman started to turn, grabbing his girlfriend as he did so. "Don't trust me if you wish, Roronoa Zoro. In fact, that's the smart thing to do if you ask me. We're working for the same goals, but it's anything goes after that—if not for the others, at least for me!"

The couple stormed through the hallway and out of the triple-bladed fighter's line of vision. They walked for what seemed like an eternity, Chiyu barely able to keep up with her lover's angered pace.

"Calm down honey." The healer whispered. "Don't let him get to you. You have me now. There will be plenty of other times for your revenge." She leaned backwards, kicking a door open. The two disappeared inside, and for the first time in what seemed like ages, Ian completely forgot about Roronoa Zoro.

Meanwhile, a stunned Zoro still stood besides the prison wall. As it was finally certain that Ian was gone, a pool of black energy leaked through the wall—Raven emerged from inside it.

"Well, that was a surprise." The gothic warrior said. "I didn't think he would actually admit it, but it was even more surprising that he said not to trust him!"

"Not that I would anyway." Zoro growled. "I don't trust any of them, and I think this whole idea stinks."

Raven looked at him for a second, trying to figure out just where this mistrust came from. Did he get this way with every warrior he fought? "I'm not sure about that." She finally said. "Ian seemed to have kidnapped her for personal agenda only—I doubt the others would be so petty as to follow along with that."

"So you actually trust them?" The swordsman asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"Not completely." Raven admitted. "Some things here seem off, but at the same time they really do seem to have good intentions." Zoro just stared at her. "But then again, that's not to say I believe their entire story. I never trust anybody completely."

"So in other words you're as confused as the rest of us." Zoro sighed. "So, how is she anyway?"

The cloaked girl looked back, sadness resonating in her eyes. "They haven't hurt her, but she's really doped up. Plus she just found out that Smoker was beaten. She should be okay tho—"

Raven's speech was cut off by Zoro delivering his fist into the wall. Most surfaces would have crumbled under his mighty force, but this didn't even leave a dent.

"We have to break her out!" The swordsman yelled. "It isn't fair to leave her in there!"

Grabbing Zoro's fist, Raven pulled him aside. "That won't help now. That makes us look like the bad guys. We can't risk making ourselves look like the ones not to trust."

"Maybe I don't want their trust." Zoro pouted as he walked away.

"I can't believe this ship has a spa!" Terra happily squealed, slinking lower into the pool of mud was submersed in. Only her head and blonde hair remained above the surface. With another gleeful cry she flopped backwards, her feet emerging from the pit of dirt as she let loose a happy sigh.

"Ah, I love these things anyway. But a boat with a spa? Even better! I won't lose my power this way!"

The Earth-mover closed her large, round eyes, planning to take a nice long nap. However, her blissful slumber was quickly cut short by another squeal. However, this squeal of delight wasn't the same as the one Terra had unleashed only a few moments ago.

This sound didn't even sound _human_.

Terra shot to her feet, a yellow aura flowing around her hands as the mud shot into the air and surrounded her naked body. She wasn't taking any chances. A quick scan revealed the perpetrator: a green pig rolled happily in the mud, only a few feet away.

"Beast Boy!" Terra exclaimed, her aura following her anger and exploding around the girl's wiry body. The green pig, upon hearing its name, hopped to its feet. It too took a double-take when it noticed Terra, and then wasted no time in shifting back to his normal form and backing towards the exit.

"What are you doing in here!" The blonde asked, slowly approaching the intruder. Her pupils had completely disappeared, adding even more to her fear-inspiring presence. It was incredible that such a beautiful creature could turn sour so quickly.

Beast Boy's eyes, meanwhile, were as big as saucers. "I swear Terra…the sign on the door said this was the _men's_ spa!"

"Like hell it did!" she cried. She clapped her hands, and the mud in the spa shot into the air. Forming two spouts, it sprayed at the changeling. He screamed like a girl, again transforming into a pig as the mud shot right over him—however, it would have been dead on had he been at his normal height. Beast Boy charged for the door, constantly dodging shots of mud until he finally reached his destination.

The green warrior barely shut the door behind him before he felt more mud slam into it, nearly knocking him over. Leaning against the wall, he tried to catch his breath for a moment before remembering about the sign; much to Beast Boy's surprise, the sign on the door DID say "Women's Spa."

"I'm not dumb enough to get man and woman mixed up." Beast Boy thought out loud. "How the…" His thoughts trailed off as he stepped on something funny; picking it up, the changeling realized it was a homemade "Men's Spa" sign with some glue on the back of it.

Hearing snickering, Beast Boy span to see Usopp's head peeking around a nearby corner. Realizing he was caught, the sniper shot back out of sight.

"Usopp! How dare you!" he cried as he charged towards the other boy; as he reached the corner, he quickly shifted into a greyhound and bounded even faster.

Several hallways away, Usopp finally stopped and collapsed against a wall. If there was one thing he was fantastic at, it was running. A smile passed across the exhausted coward's face. He wasn't a coward this time! By taking this bold move, Terra would be mad at for Beast Boy for weeks—leaving a big gap for a certain somebody to fill. Score one for Usopp!

However, the sniper had no more time to think as he heard a sound; looking down the hall, he noticed a green bloodhound. It quickly phased back into Beast Boy.

"You didn't think you could escape me, did you?" he asked, flashing a grin. The light sparkled on the end of his pointy fangs. "I have your scent."

And again, Usopp was off.

"Are you two in need of our assistance?" Starfire called ahead of her. Blocking the hallway they were traveling were two workers—and a dozen large boxes. The beautiful alien girl floated behind them, joined by Sanji—nearing "stalker" status—and Chopper, who was taking his turn to keep an eye on the chef.

The larger of the two workers—several feet higher and several shoulder-lengths wider, in fact—turned to see who had found them. "Aye, fair miss. You needn't worry yourself—we can handle this." As he talked he slowly looked the Tamaranian up and down, liking what he saw.

Unlike most Iso-jin workers, his outfit was not entirely red—the sleeves and legs were, but the chest area was gray. His clothes were actually similar to the large, baggy clothes of ancient Japan, but because of his massive size they almost seemed tight on him instead. A tight gray skull-cap topped his bald head.

"Me mates call me Tank." The massive worker told them. "Yous welcome to stay and watch though, miss."

Sanji leaned down low, level with Chopper. "Look at this scum Chopper." The cook whispered, growling. "He's obviously hitting on my Star-kun!"

"When did she become _yours_?" the tiny reindeer asked, confused. Sanji growled again and decided to end this conversation, standing up while nervously taking a drag of his cigarette.

The other worker turned as well, eager to see what had his friend so excited. While Tank made him look puny, in all actuality he was about five and a half feet tall. His clothes were nearly identical to Tank's, except what was gray on his were yellow instead. He also had spiky blonde hair which ran along the side of his head into long sideburns.

"Yeah, we got it covered." He smiled, bowing a bit. "They call _me_ Swifty, and it's a pleasure to meet yous."

"Yes, the meeting of you both is a pleasure to me as well." Starfire smiled. "So, is it your jobs to move boxes all day?"

"Nay miss." Swifty laughed. "We's soldiers. Today we're simply moving our weapons."

Tank's eyes grew large as he finally realized that this was an opportunity to impress a pretty lady. With a mighty grunt and the flash of his tremendous arms, the gigantic soldier lifted four of the boxes into the air.

Starfire and Chopper looked impressed, but Sanji simply growled again. Swifty also looked less than amused. He nudged his friend in the back, whispering under his breath, "What're you doing mate? Yous making me look bad!"

However, Starfire seemed to be ignoring this fact completely. Instead, she looked at the massive amount of boxes. "I am guessing it will take more than one trip to move them all?" As Tank nodded, the alien girl landed. "Then please allow me to assist!" Without even waiting for their permission, Starfire leaned down and grabbed six of the boxes. Her eyes burned green as she effortlessly lifted them into the air.

"That's my Star-kun!" Sanji cried joyfully. Chopper's jaw hit the ground in shock. Tank's wasn't far behind.

"Crikey yous strong!" Swifty exclaimed, staggering a bit. "My, I feel faint now." The soldier barely managed to catch himself on a wall. Star looked between him and the last two boxes.

"Then no need to hurt yourself. Tony, grab his boxes!" The reindeer saluted in response to his female friend, dashing to the cargo. In one swift motion Chopper shifted to his massive human form and lifted the final two boxes. The three proceeded down the hallway, following Tank as he told more tails to Starfire.

Swifty leaned forward, still stunned. "That little bugger is a strong one too! Even I can't lift two of 'em!"

"I could." Sanji bragged.

"Then why didn't the girl ask ya to?" Swifty asked.

"All my strength is in my legs." Sanji growled as he followed the others. "Much better for Star-kun in the long run."

The Iso-jin raised an eyebrow at that. "Yous wish, mate."

Robin leaped into the air, arcing gracefully as he back flipped across the deck. As he landed, several dozen Iso-jin soldiers did as well—at least the ones who could follow Robin's swift movements. Far more lay flat on their backs.

"Well, I guess that could have gone smoother." The Titan laughed. "Still, most of you are doing really well. In fact, I think you're ready for some actual combat practice now!" The soldiers gasped, backing a bit. "Come on now, who's up for a spar?"

Silence continued through the crowd, until one soldier finally stepped forward. "Sorry Sensei, but I think you're a little too intimidating for us yet. Maybe if we saw you fight somebody strong first it would be easier for us."

"But who would I fight?" Robin asked.

"I'll do it!" Luffy happily exclaimed, walking from a nearby corner and approaching his friend. He eagerly tossed his straw-hat aside and began winding his arm. "Come on, this'll be fun!"

Now Robin knew how his soldiers felt. "Come on Luffy, it wouldn't be a fair fight!"

Luffy approached anyway, and Robin quickly span into a whirling kick—which did absolutely nothing. Realizing it was futile, the Boy Wonder tried to back away, and the "spar" quickly turned into a chase instead.

Nami was watching from the nearby bow of the ship. As much as she made fun of them, she sure was glad she had these idiots as her companions—things would get far too serious without them.

However, the navigator's thoughts were quickly drawn back to troubles. Something didn't seem right here, and she just couldn't keep her mind off it.

"Penny for your thoughts!" Nami jumped a foot as her she was jolted back to reality by the deep voice. Cyborg approached her, smiling happily. "That sad face just doesn't look good on you!"

Brushing her orange hair back, the thief laughed. "It's nothing. I was just taking a break from watching those fools over there." The mechanical Titan finally noticed Luffy and Robin, and burst into hysterical laughter.

"That spiky-haired brat needed a humble lesson every once in a while anyway." Cyborg laughed.

As he continued laughing at the fight, Nami finally gathered the courage to ask something that had been bugging her for a while. "Excuse me Cyborg, can I ask you something for a second?" The robot turned and nodded. "You're made mostly of expensive equipment, right? And you said you don't get paid for your crime fighting work, right? Then how do you afford it all?"

"I'm not at liberty to go into it all," he began with a serious look, "But let's just say that Robin has some connections in very high places."

"Oh, I see." Nami sighed. "Have—have you ever been tempted to steal for it though?"

"Nah." Cyborg laughed. "We're the good guys; we need to set an example. In fact, I think the only thing I've ever stolen was Beast Boy's deodorant, just to see if he'd notice it was gone—one month and counting so far."

As much as she should have been amused by Beast Boy's poor hygiene, she was just sadder now. She had hoped he would be more understanding—the more she thought of it, the more the Titans seemed like the Marines of their world.

"But at the same time I understand why some people have to steal." The Titan continued. "We're not insensitive soldiers!" Nami's eyes lit up—that's what she got for thinking that sort of stuff about her friends! "Why are you asking anyway?"

The navigator jumped a bit—even after all that, she didn't think it was time to explain her years thieving to pay off Arlong. "I was just thinking—don't these Iso-jin seem like thieves? That Mother lady said she tracked down all these items, so she must have stolen some of them."

"Yeah, you're right." Cyborg agreed. His eyebrow rose. "Is that what's troubling you? You don't trust these guys?"

"Not really, and it's not just the stealing." She admitted. "I don't see why a force with a fleet this powerful would need _us _to take on somebody like Slade. What makes him dangerous to them is the Iso Toa, but they know far more about that then we do!"

Cyborg scratched his mechanical chin. "All good points, but it's too late to doubt them now. We're stuck with this alliance, for better or for worse."

"True, but that doesn't mean we can't keep an extra special eye on them."

"Of course not." The Titan laughed. "As they say in my world: Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. They're not going to get away with anything."

The two nodded to each other, and leaned back on the railings. It was as if they were both saying "Enough of this serious stuff." They had an agreement now, and that was enough.

"By the way," Cyborg finished. "I'm fine with you being a thief as long as you don't steal from me."

Nami laughed, and blushed a bit as well. "Does my reputation precede me that much?"

"Enough that even people from alternate dimensions have heard of you? You bet."

"I WIN!" Luffy cheered, pumping his arms in the air joyfully. Robin lay sprawled beneath him, definitely battered.

"And this, class, is the best example of how NOT to win." He sighed.

The Stone of Iso Toa rested upon a disk of energy; it cast a dim red light throughout the entire cave. Several feet before it stood Slade. The ominous figure proudly gazed—not at his beloved stone—but at a viewscreen mounted upon this particular cavern's wall.

"It's almost time." He began. "The explosives are all set and the players are nearly here." Different lights representing the different parties involved appeared across the screen.

"Indeed, it's time for the world to bow to me."

Next time: Unwilling Puppets—The X-Factor


	11. Chapter 11

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 11: Unwilling Puppets—The X-Factor**

The old woman stood stoically at the bridge of the ship. A tiny red shard of rock was attached to a chain around her neck; she gripped it tightly in her wrinkled hands, keeping her eyes shut as the energy from it flowed through her body.

"Left, Ivan." She commanded. "There should be an island there with the entrance to a cave right on the beach. This is where we'll find the great power."

The younger man nodded, spinning the wheel to the Ehever. The massive stone ship turned and continued to chug along its new path. Within minutes the island could be found.

"You were right Mother…as always." Ivan smiled. With a couple skillful maneuvers of the ship's controls he had docked the massive vessel besides the tiny island. "So now Mother, what are our commands?"

Mother slipped the fragment she wore around her neck back into her blouse. "I already gave the details of your plan to your Armada leaders. All _you_ have to do is make sure that you separate the Iso-jin from the others, and whatever you do, do NOT leave the path to the right!"

Ivan only looked confused. "You want us to split up? But I thought you had plans for these children."

"Do you doubt your Mother, Ivan?" the old woman asked. Her subordinate jumped a bit, quickly shaking his head no. "I can see the future my son. Have you forgotten that? Those children will be most useful to us…as our enemies."

The side of the Ehever again scrolled open, a long red plank extending from the ship and onto the tiny isle's beach. A huge troop filed down the walkway and onto the sand.

"Yeah, Slade's definitely here." Robin reaffirmed, kicking at the stolen Marine lifeboat docked on the shore. "Knowing his love of dark places, there's no doubt that he's in the cave."

Ivan approached the group of heroes. "Exactly my thought as well. Don't worry—with our combined forces, he'll go down quick. Then we can get you home and save our island."

As the last of the at least four dozen Iso-jin soldiers left the ship, two figures marched to the old man.

"Armada Leader Tank reporting fer duty, sir!" The giant soldier announced.

"Armada Leader Swifty too, sir!" His smaller friend added.

Starfire gasped at the sight of her new friends. "Friends! You did not tell me you were the leaders of the army!"

Both soldiers hung their heads a bit, a sad look sweeping across their face. "Aye, miss…we, we didn't want yous to think us braggers." Tank finally answered.

"How considerate of them." Nami sighed, sending a piercing glare towards their resident braggart, Usopp.

"What do you mean by that?" Usopp exclaimed, jumping backwards and then pointing towards their navigator. "Everything I say is true!" The second that statement left his mouth, eleven figures hit the ground in hysterical laughter.

The sharpshooter continued to praise himself, adding to the platter of comedy he had served to his companions. Ivan only looked at the teenagers in disdain, but the two soldiers behind him both seemed amused. However, after a few seconds of watching they both backed a bit, the sad look again returning to their faces.

"Father! Get them moving!" Ian called from the mouth of the cave. The Titans and Straw Hats started to collect themselves, slowly rising to their feet and slowly following the swordsman's call. "I need your opinion on this place!"

The entire massive ménage of soldiers, pirates, and heroes entered the cave, trekking into the darkness fearlessly—sans Usopp and the sounds his clattering knees created. A joint in Cyborg's blue shoulder popped open, and a flashlight on the underside quickly illuminated the cavern. Now that they could see where they were going, their journey didn't take much longer. Finally, they reached a fork in the path.

"See father?" Ian asked, moving his arms back and forth between the four tunnels. "How do we know which way to go?"

"Easy." The old man smiled. "Cyborg, may I ask you to shut off your light?" Nodding, the light on the Titan's shoulder darkened itself. With the shadows returning to their rightful place, it could be seen that a red tint shone from two of the tunnels. "Just as I thought. The great power's light shows us how to find it."

"But there's light in two tunnels." Luffy noticed. "Are there two stones now?" Everybody collapsed.

Regaining his composure, Ivan just shook his head. "Of course not boy. Both these tunnels simply lead to the same place. However, who knows if there could be traps on them. I propose we split up—I take the Iso-jin in the right tunnel, and you twelve take the left?"

"I don't see why not." Robin replied, raising a masked eyebrow despite his response.

"Then I guess this is where we part ways." Ian laughed as the Iso-jin entered the right tunnel. The teen drew his sword, its red light completely lighting the path before them. "Roronoa Zoro! Don't trip!"

"Something is fishy here." Zoro grumbled as they entered their tunnel as well. "And it isn't just that bastard's smell."

Chopper stopped for a second, sniffing the air. "But Ian doesn't smell like fish," the reindeer said. "He smells more of cheap cologne to me."

"Don't you known an insult when you hear one!" Zoro yelled, kicking at the doctor. He ran to the front of the group, jumping up Nami's back and stopping on her shoulder, trembling.

"He's right though." Raven continued. "This is beyond suspicious."

"But what other choice do we have right now?" Beast Boy asked in frustration. "If we beat up Slade and try to leave without them, we'll be stuck without a boat—or we'll have to steal theirs. But if we try to go along with it, they go all Benedict Arnold on us! Either way we're screwed!"

"Then we just keep walking forward." Robin decided. "BB's right—we're stuck. There's nothing left to do but see what happens next."

Mother stood on the ship's deck, watching in pleasure as her pawns disappeared into the cave. The door behind her opened as Chiyu emerged.

"You called Mother?" the healer asked, leaning on the railings besides her leader. "What do you desire of me?"

"With all of us gone, you're highest in command." Mother reminded her. Then, without finishing her thought, the old woman walked towards the door. "Wait three hours. If we are not back by then, take the ship and return home."

Chiyu gasped. "But why? Do you think they will not return alive? What about Ian!"

Pausing for a second at the door, Mother turned back towards the younger woman. "That isn't for you to know yet. Just do as I say." And with that, the imposing old woman disappeared into her ship.

_'Now it's time for my part.'_ Mother thought, smiling as she headed into the bowels of the vessel. _'I've missed being a part of the action.'_

The masked menace paced back and forth swiftly, exchanging quick glances between his beloved stone and the viewscreen that kept tab on his visitors. Suddenly—with as much speed as his pace had contained—Slade stopped. The terrorist's eye was locked on his sensor. Then without even a gleeful snicker he grasped a lever on his belt—his finger looming ominously over a button on top of the lever.

"Finally, they've come far enough." In one decisive motion his finger fell onto the button. Chaotic symbols scattered across the viewscreen. Stealing one more wistful glance at his handiwork, Slade then turned to the Iso Toa. "It won't be long now. Soon your power will be put to work. I'm sure you're more than ready for the tasks ahead of you. Your ultimate power will be my greatest tool!"

The tiny troop of heroes continued their long journey, led only by a dim red trail and the light from Cyborg. As they progressed, they were continually distracted by the mysterious water leaking from the roof, or the faint sound of something rumbling. Perhaps it was bats?

Another shriek echoed down the tunnel, sending shivers up Nami's spine. "This place gives me the creeps." she complained, actually leaning against Sanji for support. Hearts blossomed from the cook's ears, and his love-struck body started to wobble. So much for a good support.

"What a witch." Zoro grumbled, cutting his eyes at the couple. "She's just using him, like she does everybody."

Terra laughed. "Whatever gets her through it. At least I'm not scared stiff of the dark." Disgruntled sighs could be heard coming from Beast Boy and Usopp behind her. However, the sniper's head perked up an instant later.

"Exactly!" Usopp exclaimed. "The shadows are nothing to Captain Usopp! I once defeated 100 warriors in a dark cavern just like this, using only the light from my explosives to see!"

"Really!" Chopper gasped, his tiny eyes wide in awe. "You sure are incredible, Usopp!"

However, the real captain only scratched his head for a few seconds. "Usopp?" he asked, "How did you do all this if you never even left your home island before you joined my crew?"

The liar blushed as his friends burst into endless laughter around him once again.

"I do not get it." Starfire said. She was the only one not laughing. "Was he partaking in the telling of lies, or did he fall into a portal to the dark cave?"

Now the laughter was replaced by moans. Usopp's far out lies were one thing, but somebody actually believed them?

"It's okay, Star-kun!" Sanji exclaimed, dragging Nami along as he swept Starfire into his other arm. "I'll explain it to you!"

With an uneasy chuckle, the Tamaranian slowly moved her suitor's arm aside and floated across the tunnel. "Do not worry, I will be fine not understanding."

Robin smiled, laughing slightly under his breath. That was his Starfire; no other man could have her. However, his joy was short-lived as his ears suddenly perked; what was that ticking noise?

"Uh…does anybody else hear any ticking?"

Before he could even receive an answer, Robin and the others were knocked back by a tremendous explosion. The entire ceiling above them crumbled, as did the walls; rocks rained down on the heroes. The ground shook beneath them, but fortunately didn't collapse.

Yellow energy exploded around Terra as the Earth-mover rushed into action, thrusting her arms to the side in an attempt to shield her friends. However, even her miraculous powers were not perfect; as Terra caught several more craters to one side, Starfire noticed a few more falling to the other side!

Realizing there wasn't time her companion to intercept them, the alien girl dashed forward, green balls of energy sparking to life on each of her hands. With a mighty scream she shot the Starbolts forward, crushing the boulders into pebbles.

"Thanks for the help Star!" Terra yelled, sweeping her arm again to catch more stones. Raven too joined the action as her veil of darkness overtook more stone.

Starfire smiled happily, happy to have helped. "No problem friend! I am happy I was able to be of…"

"LOOK OUT!" a voice cried. The Tamaranian cut her sentence short and looked up to see a huge boulder—nearly the width of half the tunnel—falling straight towards her. A vicious beam from the alien's eyes split the rock in half, but it didn't stop it from hitting her. The Starbeam disappeared as Starfire tumbled to the ground, the boulder not far behind. The impact of it all blew open the ground—Starfire was now careening into a black pit beneath them all.

"STARFIRE!" Robin screamed, dashing forwards.

"STAR-KUN!" Sanji cried, abandoning his Nami-san and instead dashing to the rescue as well.

The girl's two suitors both ran towards the horrific pit. Each was frantic over their friend's fate, but as they noticed each other it also instinctively became a competition—a trait all men share.

As they reached the edge of the crumbling ground, both warriors pushed off and into the dark abyss. However, Sanji's superior leg strength gave him an advantage—the ground exploded behind him as he pushed off, instantly disappearing. It was almost as if he was swallowed by the shadows. Robin wasn't far behind, but it seemed that the gap in their strength was just enough to put a wrench in the teen's plans.

Explosives went off all behind them, rolling down the wall, floor and ceiling in rapid fire blasts. Rocks barraged the Boy Wonder from all directions, knocking him backwards as he was still in mid-jump. Raven and Terra frantically moved to stop the new projectiles, but even they were not strong enough to stretch their power onto so many different objects in such a chaotic situation. They both screamed as their grasp on the rocks dissipated.

With no defense left all the boulders now collapsed. Dodging between one, Monkey D. Luffy pushed off, jumping towards his friends. He may not have been able to stop the rocks, but he could still protect his friends!

"Rubber…"

The Iso-jin were making excellent progress. Perfect lines of soldiers were marching steadily behind their four leaders, with not a word spoken between them. However, even their flawless procession was stopped in its tracks when the cavern started to rumble.

"The old broad was right." Tank gasped, having been informed as to what was happening next.

Ian, however, was not so well-informed. "What's going on!" he cried, slowly stepping backwards as he held his sword before him, ready to meet any challengers. However, before he could meet his unseen opponent, blasts detonated across the entire tunnel. Just as with the Straw Hats and the Titans, rocks fell and walls crumbled.

"Shield!" the teen commanded, swiping his sword as the boulders came tumbling down. Red light exploded from the crystal blade, forming a bubble-like barrier of energy between the Iso-jin and the rocks. As the tremors and the falling stones finally ended, the crimson shield retreated back into Eehuah.

As the group of warriors stared at the damage they noticed that one entire wall had been completely desecrated, revealing a second tunnel much further underground.

"We're lucky this tunnel wasn't above that one." Ivan told them, giving it a distasteful glance before turning forward once more. "Come, my troops. Now I'm going to really enjoy seeing this miscreant beaten."

"Sorry, sir." Swifty quickly replied, looking down nervously. "This is where wes part ways. Mother's plans, yous know."

As Swifty and Tank both slid down the embankment that was just blown out of the wall, Ivan simply stared on. It sure seemed like a strange thing to do, but who was he to doubt Mother's master plan?

The two Iso-jin Armada Commanders disappeared into the darkness of the new tunnel.

The timer on his viewscreen hit 00:30:00.

"Finally, half an hour has passed." Slade said to himself. "No doubt she's near the large cavern by now. Time to go pick up my present."

"Not so fast!" a voice called from the other side of the room. Slade turned his head, his eye stopping upon Ivan, Ian, and the Iso-jin army standing in an entrance to the cavern.

"So, I have visitors." Slade mused, turning the rest of his body to meet the intruders. "I'm assuming you're here for the stone?"

Ivan stepped forward, brushing dirt from the explosion off of his pants as he did so. "Of course. The Great Power belonged to us before you were even born. Hand it over now and we'll make your death quick and painless."

The masked man laughed, moving his legs akimbo as he raised his arms into a stance. "The path I've chosen does not allow for such a death. Of course, that doesn't matter, because I won't die here today!"

"So be it." Ivan spat, his face like stone. He stepped to the side; barely even waiting for his father's evacuation of the spot Ian stormed past, Eehuah glowing in his hand.

A bloodthirsty grin was pasted across the teen's face as he charged Slade. That man was the only obstacle blocking the Iso-jin's goal of restoring Ianoa Island to glory—Ian wasn't going to let him walk away from this!

His Herculean swing could probably have sliced steel; unfortunately for Ian, the target he had intended flipped right over the assault. As one of Slade's feet landed on top of the crystal sword, the other span into the back of Ian's neck. The fiend used this momentum to hurl himself backwards and out of the path of the swordsman's clumsy retaliatory attack.

Watching his opponent prance about like that infuriated Ian. With a mighty scream the Iso-jin warrior leaped into the air, pulling Eehuah behind his back.

"Crimson Blade!" he cried as he sliced thin air. A thin blade of crimson energy leaped off, shocking even the normally complacent Slade. He quickly dropped to the ground, rolling under the projectile. However, his foot was a little close to the blade; as Slade returned to his feet, he staggered. Just a slight touch from that thing had sliced the side of his foot open!

"That's right you bastard, let's see how you like this!" cried Ian as he span, launching another Crimson Blade into the fray. Using all his strength Slade leaped far above it, pulling out his staff as he flipped through the air. This time, however, Ian was prepared for his arrival. This next swing wouldn't miss—so it was deflected instead. Slade's staff slammed against the sword's side, the masked villain's superior strength pushing Eehuah aside. Taking advantage of the opening he had created the terrorist dashed past, striking Ian with his staff as he did so.

Blood leaked from the teen's mouth as he stumbled forward, but with all their years of work on the line he wasn't going to give up now! Ian swung again, grazing Slade. The villain sprawled backwards, drops of blood trickling from the thin cut on his stomach. If he had just been a little closer, that could have been the end of it all!

Still, this created an advantage for Slade. Hope flashed in Ian's eyes as he realized this would be the time to finish it! The frustrated Iso-jin moved with all his speed, but his opponent was prepared for such a cocky reaction. Again he parried with his staff, pushing Eehuah to the ground and using the force to leap high into the air.

Slade soared straight above his opponent. Leaning back he hurled his staff to the ground, and Ian just didn't have the time to move. He could only watch in horror as the end of the staff planted itself right on top of his hand. Eehuah fell and span across the battlefield as Ian fell to his knees, trembling. Slade now landed and grabbed his staff, pulling it from the boy's hand. With a muted gasp Ian collapsed backwards.

"Now for my prize." said Slade ominously as he slowly walked towards Eehuah. Ivan intercepted him, standing between the relic and the villain.

"Not so fast." Ivan growled. A clasp on the top of his bulky red shirt began to glow slightly. "You still won't survive this."

"Stand down my son." With an incredible gasp Ivan turned to see Mother stroll into the room. She was dragging Tashigi's unconscious body by the arm. "There's been a change in plans."

Hacking again, Ian finally climbed back onto his wobbly feet. "Why—why did you bring Tashigi here?" he managed to gasp.

"She's useful to us. Everything else will be revealed, that I promise." Mother smiled. She hobbled towards Slade, extending a hand. "I'm Mother, the founder of these Iso-jin."

"Why should I care?" Slade growled.

"You should care because I know more about that stone than anybody." she said firmly. "Do you really think you can harvest enough energy to properly use the Great Power?"

The masked terror chuckled slightly. "I can do anything when I put my mind to it, but I'm guessing you have a better way?"

"Of course." Mother pulled several small crystals—attached to chains—from her blouse. "These collect any energy a human uses against it. If we wear them and are attacked, say by your enemies the Teen Titans or their friends—"

"We'll all have more than enough energy to share the Great Power!" Ivan finished for her. "Is this why we had those kids go the other way, why we betrayed them?"

"They were only puppets my son."

"Then why not fight me as well?" Slade asked. "I'm sure we'd both rather not share that power."

Mother returned the crystals to their rightful place. "Those crystals come with us, I'm afraid. As for your part in all of this…I once ate a Devil's Fruit known as Yoken Yoken. Long story short, it lets me see the future, and the future says your unique skills will be quite useful to us."

Slade raised an eyebrow. "I see, but before we can consider this alliance more I have somebody to pick up." He walked towards a tunnel on the far side of the room. "It seems I need a _certain_ sort of energy to return home."

Tapping her head, Mother smiled. "Believe me, I know. In fact, I've already sent some friends ahead to fetch her for you. Consider it our getting to know you gift."

With a soft moan, Starfire finally got to her feet. The Tamaranian shook her head, trying to rid it of the pain she felt.

"Star-kun! You're up!" Sanji exclaimed. The cook had been sitting by a tiny fire fiddling with his cigarette, but now he leaped to his feet like a frog. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"What happened?" Starfire asked, looking around at the dark surroundings. "The last thing that I remember was a large stone falling straight at me."

Sanji's smile dropped as the memories flooded back. "I leaped to rescue you, but we were separated from the others sadly." Shaking his head, he kicked at some holes in the ground. "You've been out for a good while. I had to dig up some roots and start a fire with my cigarette lighter."

"How clever!" smiled Star; however, just a second later her happy demeanor fled. "But what about our friends? What about Robin?"

Sanji couldn't stop staring into her eyes. They were always one of her best features, but now something different burned in them. It was a beautiful passion, a light of intense desire. Sanji had seen it in her eyes before—every time she spoke of Robin.

"You really like Robin, don't you?" the cook laughed with a crooked grin.

"Of course I do! Robin is my friend!"

Ash fell to the ground as Sanji shook his head, trying to hold his laughter in. "No, no. I mean, don't you _really_ like him?"

Starfire blushed, before finally responding with a slow nod.

The memory of Robin jumping right in that pit after her flashed through the chef's mind. They both felt the same way; who was he to interfere with true love?

"He went in after you too." Sanji admitted. He wasn't going to at first, but he realized that she would be much happier with her Robin then with him—and if you like a girl, what's the point of letting her be sad? "The rocks knocked him back though."

"Of course! We must reunite with our friends!"

"And when we do," Sanji commanded, "You have to tell Robin how you feel. You've got to take the first move! That's how you get what you want you know—how do you think I got Nami-san?"

"Nami is yours?" Starfire asked, cocking her head in confusion.

Sanji growled. "Be nice. I don't do something like this often."

"Of course." Starfire blushed. "I shall talk to him. Thanks, Sanji-kun." Sanji sighed; she only called him 'kun' now that he couldn't have her. What luck.

The beautiful girl held her hand in the air; a green Starbolt came to life at the end, illuminating the entire tunnel. She floated ahead of her companion. "Come. I shall lead the way."

So the former stalker and stalkee finally became friends as they ventured to reunite with their friends. The joy made the journey seem quick, so seconds barely seemed to pass before they reached the end of the tunnel. The two now found themselves inside a titanic cavern with lit torches lining the wall.

"Somebody went through a lot of trouble." Sanji observed. "It looks like a coliseum."

Starfire's eyes, however, ignored the room as they instead landed upon two figures walking towards them. "Friends! What are you doing here?"

Tank and Swifty were side by side, walking towards them from the center of the colossal room. Neither looked happy—in fact, if one looked closely enough a tear might be found in their eyes.

"Wes sorry," Tank growled, "But wes ain't friends no more!"

Next Time: Half-Hearted Betrayal—An Unholy Alliance is Born


	12. Chapter 12

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 12: Half-Hearted Betrayal—An Unholy Alliance is Born**

Starfire and Sanji stood side-by-side in the musty cavern, facing the two Iso-jin they thought were their friends. Though they had only known Tank and Swifty for a very short time, they hadn't seen any reason not to trust them. The soldiers had always been friendly and seemingly-honest; they'd even seemed to have a crush on Star.

Now the two friends stared stony-faced at the heroes. Neither soldier looked happy at the dissolution of their friendship; not even their resolute stances could hide the fact that they were pained.

"Why are you doing this, friends?" Starfire asked sorrowfully. "Why are we no longer friends?"

The two Iso-jin seemed to twitch in pain at the girl's question.

_The old woman stood before the two soldiers, her face not showing a sign of regret over the decision she was forcing them to make._

_"Why do wes have to hurt thems?" Tank asked, confused. "Theys haven't tried to hurt us, yous know."_

_ "They will not work with Slade." Mother informed him matter-of-factly. "This goes against our better interests, and I'm much more worried about us Iso-jin then those kids."_

_"But why are wes working with Slade?" Swifty interjected. "I thought he was wes enemy!"_

_Mother's face changed to one of pure rage. "Are you questioning an order, soldier?" Swifty jumped back and saluted. "Unless you want to return to the streets, I suggest you shut up and follow my commands!" She turned and walked towards the door, ready to inform Ivan of their final destination._

_"Defeat those two in the cave and bring the girl back to me!"_

"As wes said before Miss, wes just soldiers." Tank averted his eyes, unable to meet Starfire's glare.

"Wes obligated to follow commands, whether wes want to or not." Swifty continued. "And wes don't want to. That's why wes going to ask yous nicely: come with us peacefully."

Starfire dropped to the ground, backing up slowly. She couldn't understand what was going on! Peacefully? What would happen otherwise? Just what were they commanded to do anyway?

Sanji, however, was not as naïve. He took one final drag of his cigarette before tossing it to the ground, stomping it flat with his mighty foot.

"Like hell we will." Sanji growled. "We're not stupid; don't think we don't know what's going on. You've betrayed our trust! Well, even if you've decided to be mindless slaves to those Iso-jin bastards, don't think we're going to follow orders so easily!"

The ground beneath the cook's feet seemed to explode; rocks scattered from that spot as Sanji charged towards Tank, the larger threat of the two. "Don't think I'll let you lay a finger on Star-kun!"

The eyes of the two soldiers grew wide.

"What do wes do now?" Swifty asked. "I don't know if I can hurt thems!"

The sad expression on Tank's face finally disappeared as his eyebrows arched fiercely. "Who do wes owe more to mate? Thems…or her?"

_Several thugs lay face-down on the cold streets, but just enough were left to give them trouble. As Swifty ducked beneath one of their grip, another punk managed to get Tank by his massive neck and slam him into the alley wall. The smaller soldier gasped at his friend's situation; just this small distraction was enough to let a thug assist him to the same fate as his friend._

_"Any last words?" asked a thug, his dirty face close to Tank's. The large fighter grimaced at both his assailant's breath and malevolent expression; this guy meant business. Of course, so did Tank and Swifty. Instead of answering, he spat into the punk's face._

_Swifty laughed at his friend's reaction. Following suit, he too let spit fly. The thug holding Tank still—apparently the leader of the gang—screamed in anger. Wiping the fluid away with his spare hand, he then pulled a knife from his pocket._

_"That's it! You lost your chance for mercy!" cried the thug. He pulled his blade far behind his head, ready to end his opponent's life in this petty street-fight._

_And then, in a crimson flash, the thug was flat on the ground. Tank was sprayed with blood as he fell from the punk's grip and back to his feet. In only a few more seconds the remaining gang members had also fallen. Swifty too was freed, and the two friends stared in awe at their savior. _

_Yes, all this destruction had come from just one figure—a boy, nonetheless. The young boy was clothed in a purple uniform, with scraggly brown hair that hid much of his face. He sheathed the red sword before looking back at the people he had saved; they caught sight of the boy's eyes—eyes that showed power._

_"How—how did yous get so powerful?" Swifty asked as the boy turned and walked to the end of the alley. Instead of answering, he simply stopped as another figure stepped out beside him. This figure was an old lady, nearly the same height as the boy._

_"I helped him achieve this power." The woman told them. "We are searching for a Great Power, but even in a search for the greatest power we need power to find it. I saw your fight and was quite impressed."_

_She pulled a box from her blouse, holding it before her. "Do you want to spend the rest of your lives fighting on the street, dealing with these weak scumbags? Or do you want real power?" The old woman opened the box, and inside sat two round, plump fruit. "I can offer you the power you desire."_

_"Devil's Fruit!" Tank exclaimed._

_"Exactly." The lady smiled. "Come and join us in our quest! You'll have the power you've been fighting for all these years!"_

_Tank and Swifty looked between the Devil's Fruit and each other, a look of amazement in their eyes. They knew these cursed fruit's side effects, but when would they get another opportunity like this? Where else could they get this sort of power—certainly not on the streets!_

_Their decision was made, and they never looked back._

"Mother has a reason for everything!" Tank exclaimed. Sanji leapt into the air, spinning into a powerful kick. "She gave wes everything wes have! Who are wes to doubt her now, no matter how wes feel!"

Gray plating seemed to erupt from Tank's body as his now reinforced fist slipped past Sanji's outstretched foot and into the cook's stomach. Blood filled the air as the pirate was hurled into the cavern wall.

"I guess there ain't no turning back now." Swifty sighed, taking a stance.

"Sanji-kun!" Starfire cried as she dashed to her friend's side, catching him as he fell from the impression he had left on the rock wall. As he collapsed into her arms, the alien girl now looked towards her former friend. Tank now stood even taller, his entire body covered by rock-hard gray plates. His hands and feet were now hooves; his nose and mouth had stretched into a snout, and a horn had then sprouted from it.

Sanji pushed himself from his crush's arms and back onto his feet. His suit was ripped and stained with blood, but he completely ignored it. Starfire marveled at his tenacity.

"Zoan type Devil's Fruit!" he exclaimed. "You're animals, like Chopper!"

"Exactly." Tank smiled. "I ate the Sai Sai Fruit, letting mes become a Rhinoceros!"

With a grunt, yellow fur sprouted across Swifty's body, merging with his blonde hair. Small round ears grew atop his head as the bottom of his face funneled into a snout. His hands shrank into paws, equipped with soft pads and sharp claws. Black spots speckled his fur, and a tail crept out of his pants.

"And I ate the Neko Neko Fruit: model Cheetah." Swifty smiled. His grin revealed lethal fangs.

As the grim faced Sanji again took a stance, Starfire still just couldn't believe it. "I still do not understand! Why are you doing this!"

"It doesn't matter, Star-kun." Sanji said. "I doubt they even know. It seems the Iso-jin have betrayed us after all. We're just gonna have to do like Robin said: Go along with what happens."

"Yes, you are right." The Tamaranian's eyes started to glow green as a Starbolt came to life on each of her hands. Green energy crackled as she stared down their new enemies.

Deciding to get things going Swifty leapt into the air, baring his claws and making a dive for the two friends. Sanji dashed to the side and out of his path, but Starfire simply pointed towards him, unleashing her mighty blast of righteous fury. The cheetah-man was struck head on; the Starbolt eventually slammed him into the far wall, but as he dropped to the ground he wasted no time in pushing off and again dashing towards the alien girl.

Jumping backwards, Starfire screamed as she rapidly fired more and more of her trademark blasts. Dropping to all-fours, Swifty effortlessly dashed through the explosions and filled the gap between the two fighters in mere seconds.

"I did not realize Cheetahs had so much of the agility." Star marveled. A ball of energy on her hand began rapidly expanding until it was nearly the size of her body. Just as Swifty got close enough to make contact, she slammed her Starbolt into the ground. The stone beneath them crumbled into ashes, but the cheetah had been expecting it.

Somersaulting above the blast—and its resulting explosion—Swifty again got close enough to attack. This time, he was able to take advantage of the situation. As he swooped down to the stunned alien he twisted forward, wrapping his tail around the girl's neck. With his front feet he grabbed Star's arms, pushing her to the ground.

Starfire struggled to release herself from the soldier's grip, but with his tail cutting off her oxygen she simply couldn't think straight. Swifty leaned over her face, marveling at her beauty and regretting having to do this. He was in the perfect position to knock her out, or even to go further, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He'd just hold her here until she passed out. That'd be the easiest way to do it.

As she stared at the fur-covered face looming over hers, Starfire began to notice that it was fading out. She couldn't let herself lose and leave Sanji alone to fight these guys!

A beam of green energy exploded from Starfire's eyes, hitting Swifty dead-on in his face. The cheetah soared backwards before somersaulting and landing on his feet again. Steam poured from his face, but he paid it no mind as he again dashed forward.

"So that's how yous gonna play it, eh?" Swifty growled to himself. "Then I'll hafta play dirty too!"

Starbolts whizzed by left and right as he weaved between the attacks and eventually behind their creator as well. Sharp claws silently emerged from the crevices of his paws as Swifty prepared to attack.

"Cross-cut Slash!" he cried as he slashed the alien girl across the back with both paws. Starfire staggered forward—growing faint—as blood oozed from the criss-crossed scars now inscribed on her back.

Starfire's pupils nearly disappeared before she was finally able to pull herself back into consciousness. Still falling forward, she slammed her two glowing palms together; a field of green exploded around the two fighters and dug a crater in the cavern floor. Burnt wisps of fur fell from Swifty's body as he frantically scanned the battlefield for his opponent.

"You will be unable to reach me when I am in the air." Starfire informed him. Swifty finally looked up to see his strange opponent floating high above him, nearly touching the cavern roof. With a scream she again fired off rapid-fire blasts, but with such a distance between her and the Iso-jin he was easily able to dodge the attacks. It seemed they had reached a stalemate.

Meanwhile, things weren't going much better for Sanji. A trail of small craters dotted the floor; winding up, Tank again slammed his massive, armored fist into the ground. The true target of the slow attack—Sanji—soared above the rhino, and now dove down for an attack.

"Concasse!" cried the chef as he somersaulted, planting his heel into the soldier's titanic forehead. However, while this attack had been excessive against the Marines, it seemed to have done nothing to Tank. Sanji flipped down the creature's back and out of his limited—but deadly—attack range.

"Yous should have stayed outta it." Tank growled as he lowered himself onto all fours. "Wes only need the little miss—there's no reason for yous to fight." He stomped his feet, kicking up dirt before charging forward.

As the Earth-trembling attack grew ever closer, Sanji remained calm and reserved. "Sorry, but me and Star-kun are a package deal!"

Tank's intimidating horn was only a foot away from the pirate as he lashed out, planting a kick into the rhino's chin. It was just enough to briefly stun the beast, allowing Sanji to dash beneath him. Tank reared up, stomping at the annoyance beneath him, but the chef only rolled about until he was directly under the beast's belly—and out of his line of fire.

"ANTI-MANNERS KICK COURSE!"

Tank's body was sent flailing into the ceiling; he tumbled through the air before landing on his back. Sanji stood where the soldier did only seconds before, his right foot held straight up, at 90 degrees. He slowly lowered his incredibly limber appendage before casually reaching into his pocket for a cigarette.

However, that endeavor was put to a halt by the creaking sound of Tank again rising onto his back feet. His reinforced stomach showed no signs of damage, despite the insane attack that had just been thrown into it. Sanji's eye widened in fear at the sight.

With an evil snicker Tank again charged, this time on his hind feet. This time he swiped with both of his stubby arms; Sanji, instead of being crushed between his vice-like grip, had already dashed ahead of them. Landing on one foot, the chef lashed his other into a nonstop flurry of deadly kicks. The sounds of impact echoed across the cave, but barely left a dent in the creature's stomach.

"Stop it! Yous tickle!" Tank laughed. Sanji growled, dismayed at the thought of his deadly red feet causing nothing but a tickle, but continued kicking until his opponent jumped into the air. "Sai Sai Slam!"

Now was the time for Sanji to run in fear as an entire enormous rhinoceros body fell straight towards him. Managing to outrun the body slam, only his leg was clipped. However, the force of the attack still sent the chef reeling, and the stones sent flying by the assault pelted the pirate mercilessly.

Sanji managed to again right himself, but now his suit and skin were torn open, blood dripping endlessly. As he contemplated his next move, he found himself dodging a green blast from above. The attack's true target—Swifty—dashed past the chef, giving him a great idea.

Leaping onto one foot, Sanji's other foot plowed into the cheetah's neck, sending him spinning.

"Star-kun!" he cried, "Wanna switch partners here?"

"Absolutely!" she responded. Green energy shimmered all around the Tamaranian; as she pointed out her target the massive Starbeam tore into Tank, exploding on contact and sending the Iso-jin staggering backwards.

Swifty, meanwhile, was astounded to see that his opponent had switched. "Cross-cut Slash!" he again announced as he swiped his paws at the chef; like usual, he replied by leaping far above the attack.

Sanji swung his leg straight towards the Iso-jin's face, but even while recovering from his own attack he could still launch another. Swifty sunk his glimmering fangs into the pirate's leg, causing him to scream out in pain. However, despite his pain Sanji still managed to use the situation to his advantage.

The cook slipped his other foot behind Swifty's neck, and pulling back with all his strength, lifted his opponent into the air. Spinning rapidly as they soared backwards, Sanji piledrove the soldier into the ground. Swifty lost his grip as the impact seared through his body, and Sanji was able to regain his footing. Swifty too, knowing he couldn't let Mother down, rose onto his hind legs.

"Mouton Shoot!" Sanji announced. He leapt into the air, spinning as one foot planted itself into the soldier's back. Swifty was knocked unconscious and sent soaring into the far wall.

Starfire's arms were nearly a blur as the lopped off Starbolt after Starbolt; each successive blast sent the rhino stumbling back further. Finally, the Tamaranian launched one final, Earth-shattering attack. Exploding on contact, the alien girl expected no sign of life from her opponent.

However, Tank exceeded her expectations. He came charging from within the veil of smoke her attack had created, ramming his head straight into the female warrior. Star was sent whirling backwards, straight into the arms of her friend. Sanji set her down, and the two figures started on in wonder at the beast they now faced.

"We need to take him down as quick as possible, Star-kun!" Sanji exclaimed. "Don't hold back!"

This time it was the two warriors charging forward. Sanji whirled another kick into Tank's knee, while Starfire followed with a blast towards his eye. The pirate leapt into the air, ready to follow up with a kick to the same spot. However, he was quickly swept out of the sky by a massive rhino hand; Tank hurled Sanji through the air and into the Teen Titan.

Sanji and Starfire were both knocked face down into the dirt below them, but they didn't say there long. A whirling kick from Tank sent both of them flying into the cavern wall. There the heroes slipped down the stony surface, leaving a trail of blood in their wake.

"He is not going to go down easily." Starfire sighed, gasping for air.

"And unfortunately, time is one thing we don't have right now." Sanji growled, wiping some blood from his forehead. "We need to take him down before he injures us even worse—but how?"

As it often does, this is where inspiration struck—when it was needed more than ever. Sanji grabbed his companion by the neck, quickly whispering instructions into her ear.

Starfire's eyes grew several times larger. "But friend—that is so dangerous! Do you think it will work?"

"It has to, Star-kun."

Tank watched the two converse with a feeling of pity deep in his gut. He had caused such pain—but Mother deserved it! She had saved them, given them everything they had! Still, he couldn't help but feel regret over what he was about to do.

"Yous know yous can't win." Tank growled. "Please, don't make mes hurt yous more. Come peacefully."

Even Starfire just glared at him. "Please, enough of this. You cannot be our friend and our enemy both, so stop trying."

With a roar Sanji ran forward, putting all his remaining strength into what most would consider a suicide charge. "Exactly! You've chosen your side, so don't try to make yourself feel better by showing pity!"

Tank took a step back in surprise. Was he really the bad guy in this situation? He was following orders, doing what he had to—they were making this happen because they wouldn't cooperate…weren't they?

Starbolts came to life at the end of the Tamaranian's hands, and with no hesitation she launched them forward. The entire force of her attacks soared straight into Sanji's back, shooting the chef into the air. The Starbolts' explosions bathed Sanji in green flames, as their force instantly shot him past the rhino's fist.

There was no way for Tank to counter now, even if he had wanted to.

"FLAMING MOUTON SHOOT!"

The pirate drove his foot into Tank's gut, shattering his rock-hard plating. The Iso-jin staggered backwards, the pupils in his eyes vanishing as they were replaced with luminescent green flames. Both Tank and Sanji fell backwards, completely bathed within the eerie glowing flames of Starfire's energy. The larger of the two hit the ground like a building being toppled; the force of the rhino's fall extinguished the fire surrounding the chef.

"Sanji-kun!" Starfire exclaimed, dashing to her companion's side. Despite being completely lit on fire only moments before, he had come through—strangely enough—with very little burns. "Sanji-kun, that was so stupid!"

The cook only laughed. "What sort of chef would I be if I was scared of fire?" he asked. "Besides, it worked, didn't it Star-kun? Now we just have to get back to the others."

With that last sentence Sanji finally lost consciousness, collapsing into the Titan's arms. Starfire smiled as she started to carry her friend towards the exit.

"Yes, I must find Robin." She then looked down at both Sanji's wounds and her own. "I hope Chopper has lots of the bandages prepared."

And as the beautiful alien turned to leave, she was stopped by a furry foot landing on her temple. Starfire collapsed—unconscious—to the ground. Looming above her body stood Swifty, his fur caked in blood.

As his fur retreated into his body and he returned to his human appearance, Swifty took a look around. At his feet were two people who had—for whatever reason—trusted him. In the center of the room lay his best friend in the world, battered and still smoldering.

_"Defeat those two in the cave and bring the girl back to me!"_

"Even wes soldiers have free will." Swifty muttered to himself as he hoisted Sanji over one shoulder and Starfire over the other. "Whatever Mother has in store better be damn good, cause I'm starting to wonder whether this loyalty is really worth it—even to ours savior."

"…Balloon!" Luffy cried. The rubberman's body inflated to gigantic proportions, looming over the remaining Titans and Straw Hats. The rubber balloon also served as a barrier between these heroes and the rocks that were tumbling from the ceiling.

Finally the rumbling ceased as the last of Slade's explosives and their aftershocks ceased. Luffy let air release from his lips as his body shrunk back to its normal size. The others were still getting back onto their feet after the shock of the cave-ins had disoriented them all.

Nami brushed the dirt from her shoulder and walked towards the rubberman. "That's sure using your head Luffy!" she praised, patting her captain on the back. Luffy just grinned, flashing his teeth as his navigator stared in admiration—until it dawned on her. "Wow, Luffy used his head!"

"I suppose—statistically—it would have to happen sometime." Raven sighed.

"So what do we do now?" Chopper asked frantically. "We can't just keep going if Starfire and Sanji are down there!"

"Don't worry!" Luffy responded, winding his arm. "I'll break all those rocks and get down there real fast!"

"You idiot!" Nami cried, smacking Luffy over the head with her staff. "If you do that the whole cave might just collapse on us again!"

Cyborg chuckled. "It was good while it lasted."

"She's right though." Robin confirmed. "Terra, Raven, can you guys tunnel through to them?"

"You bet!" Terra exclaimed, her hands lighting up in a golden flash.

"No, we can't." Raven insisted. "The cave-ins completely changed the lay-out of this cave. We could dig for hours before finding them—and since Star broke her communicator, we can't locate her."

"Then what do we do!" Robin growled, grabbing Raven by her cloak. "Just let them wander around lost, or worse, lay there hurt?"

The muscled arm of Zoro separated the two. "Quit it. If it was just that idiot cook I'd be worried, but Star's smart. She'll keep heading for the stone, and we should too."

The others again started their march towards the source of the shining red beacon. With a sigh, Robin turned and followed, but he couldn't get his mind off Starfire. In his heart, he knew she was in grave danger.

When he saw Slade again, he was going to beat him senseless for every second he made him worry about Starfire.

"It's been far too long." Slade complained, taking his hand off the wall and walking towards the exit.

"Fine, do as you wish." Mother told him, keeping her cool. "But if you're patient for just a few more moments, what you desire will appear."

As if on cue, a figure appeared in one of the tunnels leading to the cavern. Swifty, barely standing, walked through, dragging Sanji and Starfire with him. Once he had finally entered he fell to his knees.

"You were right after all." Slade smiled. "It seems I was wrong to have doubted you."

"So how about it then?" the old woman asked. "Do we have your help?"

Looking amused, Slade simply said, "Well, it looks as if I don't have much of a choice."

And with that, a true troop of terror was born.

Next time: Anger Unleashed—A Need Only She Can Fulfill.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 13: Anger Unleashed—A Need Only She Can Fulfill**

The limp, unconscious bodies of Starfire and Sanji fell from the Iso-jin's arms and to the dusty dirt floor. As they hit the floor Swifty wasn't far behind, barely managing to hold himself up with his hands. He panted heavily, still trying to recover from his brutal battles.

His old, white-haired leader paced over to him, pulling one of the energy collecting crystals from within her blouse. Kneeling, she slipped the chain attached to the crystal around her soldier's neck. It began to glow, and a red hue emanated from Swifty's body. To the surprise of all watching, he was now easily able to climb back onto his feet.

"Thank yous, Mother." Swifty whispered, keeping his head low. How could he have doubted her intentions?

Mother, meanwhile, simply nodded a 'you're welcome' before looking into the air. The imposing figure of Slade loomed over her, his gaze fixed solely on the crystal tied around her soldier's neck.

"I thought you told me those devices collected energy." Slade said. "How is it making him stronger?"

The old woman chuckled. "They do, but it's a two way street." she began. "Those stones are a long distance connection to the Great Power. Energy can be channeled through it into the stone, or some of the stone's power can be channeled to the wearer to enhance their ability." She smiled, as if knowing what question would come next. "Don't worry, the energy taken from the Great Power to enhance Swifty is far less then what will be collected in a fight."

"I see," began Slade. "It's like you know every question I'm going to ask before I ask it." A coy glance from the woman confirmed his suspicion that she probably did. "So, if this is the case, can I make a hypothesis instead?" Mother nodded, a knowing smile covering her face.

Ivan, watching from the other side of the room, smirked right along with her. He loved watching Mother toy with him. She had foreseen everything Slade was going to say months, maybe even years, before he was doing it. Whatever answer she gave—truthful or not—was going to be twisted to her advantage. Throughout the years Ivan's enjoyment of her skillful manipulation never faded; it never even dawned on him that she might be using him just like the others—or if it did he didn't care.

Slade continued. "Since you brought Starfire to me, you must have known that I needed her abilities to return home, and that I even desire to return home at all."

"Of course." Mother interjected. "Your intelligence should be ruling a world full of enlightened individuals and top-notch technology, not a backwards dimension such as our own…right?"

The masked madman raised an eyebrow.

"Absolutely," he confirmed, "but this brings up a strange idea. Since you want to ally yourselves with me, and have offered use of your 'connectors', then I'd assume you were planning on returning to my world with me. Which leads me to question your intentions… you plan on collecting energy from my world that you cannot find here, don't you?"

Mother nodded, which lead to a muffled grunt from Ian. The old woman's response seemed to agitate the boy.

"And you want to know why you should trust us after we reach our destination." she finished. With a laugh she said, "I wouldn't. Still, I don't see where either of us have a choice. We're stuck together it seems, and with both of us keeping an eye out for betrayal, I think the chances of it happening are slim."

Slade's reaction to her mentioning the possibility of his betrayal could either be perceived as amusement at the thought or offense at the accusation. With a figure such as Slade, it was likely the first.

The Iso-jin leader came to the same conclusion. "Come now, did you think we hadn't noticed your partner encased in a block of ice?"

"Smoker was a fool." Slade grunted. "He never planned to help me, just use me to get what he wanted." The fiend kicked a bit at the two battered warriors lying helplessly by his feet. "You have already brought me one of the things I need; I say this alliance is already off to a much better start."

Ian's disgruntled attitude didn't quell any as the old woman responded jovially to Slade's surprisingly upbeat statement. The crystal swordsman grabbed his father's shirt angrily, jerking his attention away from their leader and onto his son.

"Have you even listened to her?" Ian asked, his voice rising into a shout. "We're going to another world now to find energy? What about this world? What about Ianoa Island? Aren't we going to a lot of trouble to find energy when we can restore our home quite easily right here?"

The elder Iso-jin's usual frown arced even deeper, creating a face that would frighten just about anybody. "Why are you questioning her? You've seen Mother's vision better than most! You know she understands all that needs to be done, so why do you think she won't do it! She's crusaded longer then any of us!"

"Calm down now, my son." Ivan's tangent was cut short by Mother herself. Placing a hand upon Ian's shoulder, she continued. "I agree this seems unnecessary, Ian, but do you understand that with the power we can gain there will do more then return Ianoa Island to its former glory? We can make it perfect! Don't you want that!"

Ian nodded. It was true that he wanted the best for his home, but something still just didn't seem kosher here. All this going back and forth—making alliances and then quickly discarding them—didn't make sense at all. He still couldn't figure out why they had joined forces with Roronoa Zoro's crew at all; perhaps it had been Mother's way of bringing Starfire to Slade, but wouldn't it have been easier just to fight her and take her prisoner?

Still, as much as he distrusted his leader, he wanted to fulfill her vision. It was his dream to restore Ianoa Island, and he would persevere in this ruthless group for that reason only. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be a genetic trait. Ivan had never shown a desire to fix his home—only to watch Mother in action. It still amazed Ian what a tool his father was. The boy didn't care what reasons Ivan had for his obsession—too much had come between them for him to try to figure the man out now.

Slade, meanwhile, simply stared at the dysfunctional organization. Gift or no gift, he didn't trust them at all; but as he told Robin, partners were only useful to a certain point. These ones still held their usefulness. As he began to turn to his viewscreen, Slade realized that he even respected that Mother a bit. She used everybody to her advantage; even those who didn't want to be became her puppet. What a scheme she had going.

However, Slade's sensors showed a much more interesting thought. It was time for the action to begin: it was time to return home.

"Onward, to the Land of Meat!"

"For the last time Luffy, we're not going to the land of meat!" Nami cried, plowing her fist into the rubberman's head. The others laughed and moved around the Captain as he was plowed into the cavern floor.

Luffy pulled himself onto his feet, pushing his disheveled Straw Hat back on top of his head. "When will we go to the Land of Meat then?" he whined.

The beautiful navigator rolled her eyes and decided to humor the simple-minded Pirate. "We'll go to the Land of Meat whenever the Indicator locks onto it!"

"And when will that be!" Luffy moaned into Nami's ear. Steam poured from the thief's ears as her pupils disappeared; her patience was officially gone.

"Cut it out you two." Cyborg commanded, staring at the screen on his arm. "We're at the end of the tunnel, so we need to be ready for anything!"

A somber silence fell over the group as the walked around one more curve. The red light grew even stronger as they finally saw a clearing ahead of them. Even though they were going after Slade, even though they had been expecting the worst, they still weren't prepared for what lay ahead.

"Welcome Robin," Slade greeted cruelly, holding the unconscious Starfire by her neck in one arm, "And friends. Sorry to have kept you waiting, but I needed to get my hands on something first."

Robin's eyes arched into fierce slits, beyond angry at what Slade had done to his Starfire! The other Titans and Straw Hats gasped, both at the sight of their fellow Titan in the madman's grip and at what surrounded him.

Standing decked out around Slade were Mother, Ivan, Ian, and Swifty; lying at their feet were the battered bodies of Sanji and Tashigi.

"What did you do to our friends!" Luffy asked, referring to the Iso-jin as much as he was Starfire and Sanji.

With a small 'humph', Ivan stepped forward. "We aren't your friends anymore, Straw Hat. We've gotten what we wanted from you, and now it's time to get rid of what we didn't need."

"Wait, you were only using us?" Robin asked in a rageful snarl. "What for? What have you possibly gotten from us in this short time!"

As if Robin's voice was an alarm clock, Starfire finally opened her eyes.

"Come now boy, can't you see?" Ivan asked. "We've given Slade what he needs so that we can ally ourselves with him! It seems we need what he has—and vice versa—so this was only the next natural step!"

Robin clenched his fists tight, the anger within him finally boiling over. "You….BASTARD!" he cried as he charged forward, his fist seeking only one target: Slade's face. Whatever Slade has that the Iso-jin want, he must have convinced them to get Starfire for him in exchange! He knew as well as Slade did that Starfire brought them here; Slade must have wanted to return home! Even the Iso-jin were pawns in that madman's games!

Slade simply took a step backwards as Ivan moved between the two. "Iso-jin! Attack!"

Tunnels on opposite sides of the cavern seemed to explode as at least three or four dozen Iso-jin soldiers dashed ahead. The red-clad minions poured into the tiny group of heroes, attacking in whatever way they could.

Several soldiers—who appeared to be hand to hand fighters because of their lack of weapons—charged for the boy wonder; with his focus locked only on Slade, Robin didn't even notice them until he had fallen into one of their locks. However a quick flip changed that, sending the soldier reeling and the Titan spiraling through the air.

Robin's spin ended with his boot planted firmly into the face of another soldier. However, before he could even land yet another minion had his arm in his grip. An elbow to the gut freed the boy wonder, and this talented warrior quickly followed up by grabbing his assaulter by the head and swinging him through a group of his friends. Robin let him fly and wound up his other arm, but this time the soldiers were much more prepared—each arm and leg were quickly caught up and Robin found himself held helplessly.

Some of the Iso-jin seemed to be equipped with swords as well—although they swung valiantly, many found themselves in a pile on the floor, sliced and diced. The green-haired demon that left them like that wasted no time mourning as he effortlessly moved his three swords through the crowd, sending blood flying.

The ground beneath a row of soldiers exploded, sending them flying into the air. The dirt and stone that propelled them hovered for a second before sweeping forward, immobilizing another row of minions. Terra screamed as she commanded a loose stone from the wall beside her to charge forward.

Tony Tony Chopper's tiny body was easily missed by a soldier's swipe, but that soldier wasn't as lucky—he crumpled in a heap as the antlers tore into him. Chopper charged through the swarm in his reindeer point until one lucky kick knocked him off his feet. As that warrior prepared to finish him, he was greeted by the gigantic fist of Tony's human point. Leaving the soldier smashed into the stone floor, the doctor's massive form continued the fight.

"Rubber Gattling!" cried Luffy as his rubber appendages moved fast enough to create the image that dozens of arms were now pummeling the Iso-jin.

Several streaks of blood flew from the gashes across the soldier's stomach. A green bear had been swiping at him, and as another warrior prepared to return the favor with his sword, he was greeted with a pair of horns to his gut. Now Beast Boy had become a mountain goat, ramming his opponents mercilessly. One more transformation resulted in a green gorilla's muscle-packed body pushing its weight into a minion.

Nami countered an Iso-jin's mighty swing with her staff, but the force of it was enough to send her reeling backwards. The navigator realized her only advantage here was her speed; the soldier's sword pierced only air as she dashed past it, driving her staff into his neck. With him temporarily mobilized, Nami now targeted a much tenderer target; the soldier crumpled, clinging to his groin and screaming at a pitch usually reserved for chipmunks.

"Nami, look out!" cried Usopp from his vantage across the room. The thief turned to see another soldier zooming in for an attack; at this range it would be impossible for her to attack. The sniper bravely pulled back on his slingshot, releasing a projectile. "Killer Move Gunpowder Star!"

The beautiful navigator screamed, dropping to her knees. Her crewmate's attack flew right over her, hitting the Iso-jin with a deafening explosion. Nami stood and gave her savior a thumbs-up as thanks, but was quickly forced to warn him as well.

Spinning in response to the warning, Usopp noticed yet another soldier slashing at him from behind. "Usopp Counterattack!" he cried as he pulled a hammer from his bag with his free hand; with a ferocious swing he smacked his opponent across the knee. As the warrior crumpled in pain Usopp drove the mallet atop his head for good measure.

Ivan growled at the beating his soldiers were receiving. He turned to Swifty, one of the leaders of this militia. "Well, aren't you going to join the action?"

The inquiry from his superior jolted the battered man from his thoughts. He had hoped not to fight again, not with the conflicts still raging in his mind from the last fight. However Ivan—like Mother—was not a man to cross. Even if it was a question, disobeying this question could cost him his life.

"Yes, yous right." Swifty growled as he shifted to his cheetah form, dashing into the battle. He bared his claws, ready to strike, but they weren't of much use. One powerful punch drove itself into the Iso-jin's stomach, cracking several ribs and sending him soaring into a wall of stone.

That punch came from none other than Cyborg and his mechanically backed muscles. As Swifty moaned in pain and slipped to the floor, Cyborg wasted no time in shooting off his left arm; a cable attached his rocket-propelled forearm to his biceps, and the soldier quickly found himself wrapped up in it. He struggled to break free, but not even a slash from his mighty claws could end this trap; to the contrary, Swifty ended up with some broken nails instead.

"You're much too dangerous to let attack." The mechanical man growled. Suddenly his sensors flared, and the Titan turned to see several more soldiers dashing towards him. "And you just piss me off!" he cried as his right arm folded back into his Sonic Cannon—a pulsating blast of blue and white exploded from the cannon and decimated the group.

Another soldier charged Raven, who was just standing in the middle of the battlefield. She was hunched over, white flames boiling from her eyes. However, as he slashed his sword it cut harmlessly through a puddle of darkness. Then—as if possessed—the now shadow covered sword turned and drove itself through its owner's chest.

The dark sphere lowered its shield around Raven. She clenched both her teeth and fists as black energy spiraled around her, sparking through the air.

_'I trusted them!' _she thought. _'Cyborg and Beast Boy are always on me to give people chances, to trust! It's just that it's so hard for me—of course it would be, with a Dad like mine—but I tried, I really did! I've come to trust my friends with my life, and they've given the same respect to me! I started to think that maybe it really was safe for me to trust!_

_So I did with these Iso-jin as well! Even after seeing Ian's attack, I chalked it up to personal agenda and allowed myself to think that it was safe to work with them! I encouraged us all to, even when Zoro and Terra knew it wasn't going to work!_

_Look how it turned out! They strung us along, played us as fools, then turned and attacked! My friends are getting hurt, all because of my stupidity! In my desire to be more human I forgot why I couldn't trust—no, why I couldn't ignore the distrust in my head! When I hide my feelings, people get hurt!_

Raven's eyes finally disappeared entirely, and the energy building around her began to slowly crawl up her levitating body.

_Well, no more! I shouldn't have let myself get played! I'm not going to ignore my emotions, my instincts, anymore! They're my power, and they're going to teach these traitors a lesson!_

As the black energy that had been simmering finally exploded, it was now revealed that Raven's face had new eyes. Replacing the two peaceful and knowing eyes normally there were four, fierce red eyes ready to kill.

Meanwhile, the soldiers restraining Robin had carried him closer to his arch-nemesis, putting him face-to-face with Slade. The Teen Titan tried his hardest to break free, but the Iso-jin had him restrained beyond escape.

A spark of recognition returned to the hazy eyes of Starfire, still held captive in Slade's remarkable grip. "R-Robin?" she asked weakly.

"Starfire!" Robin exclaimed. "No matter what he says, don't use your Starbolts! You can't let these guys get back to our world!"

"Nonsense, girl." Slade crooned viciously. "You have to take us home. How else will you save your friends? Look at them fight, Starfire. They're getting hurt. Look at your dear Robin, held captive and at our mercy. Can you bear to see us hurt him?" He craned his neck so he was eye to eye with the captive Tamaranian. "Could you live with yourself if they died because of you?"

"She won't have to!" cried another voice. Every eye in the room turned to see Raven soaring high above them all, energy viciously whipping across the cavern. "I'll get rid of you first!"

The force of the witch's power sent every combatant there soaring. Beast Boy didn't even notice the impact as his body was hurled into a wall. "Oh man," he gasped, "I can't believe she's gone whacko again!"

Zoro crossed his swords, trying his hardest to say on his feet. However, he too was blown backwards, and as he hit rock Cyborg and his prisoner landed next to him.

"What's going on!" the swordsman demanded, dumbfounded at this awesome power.

"She's angry!" Cyborg realized. "And when she's angry, she loses all control!"

Casting a vicious glance with her four bloodthirsty eyes, Raven clapped her glowing hands together. "Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos!" The cave shook as she focused her power, and one quick gesture towards the far wall covered the surface with a spinning whirlpool of endless black energy.

Raven then swept her other arm past the Iso-jin; each soldier there found his uniform draped in black. Not even a second passed before this deadly force pulled them through the air and into the dark abyss she had just created. In a mere moment the Titan had cleared the cave of all Iso-jin resistance—sans the three leaders and Cyborg's captive.

She had worse in store for them.

Taking advantage of the distractions, Swifty had slipped through the hero's grip and dashed towards the nearest exit. He's had enough of Iso-jin, no matter how much he owed them or how much they could do to them! Nothing was worth this kind of punishment—this kind of fear!

However, nothing escaped the all-seeing eyes of Raven's anger.

"Don't think you're going to make it out of here!" she cried. The wall sparked as a long beam of colorless energy leapt towards Swifty, forming a dark claw that easily grabbed the armada leader. "You'll meet the same fate as your underlings, cowardly traitor!"

The dark claw retreated, pulling a screaming Swifty into the abyss. With that done the wall returned to normal. However, Raven hadn't quelled her anger yet. No, this was just beginning.

The blue-clad witch flew down low, dashing towards Slade. For once, the villain seemed to show fear—his one eye was wide. A black flame in Raven's hand grew into a deadly dark claw, ready to disembowel the fiend that had been troubling them for oh so long. Today, the Teen Titans would finally destroy Slade—and the traitorous insects they had once considered their allies!

However, Slade's better judgment finally took a hold of itself. In one swift motion he held Starfire between himself and the newly-appointed angel of death.

The new target sparked a bit of Raven's true-self to finally shine through again. The moment's hesitation was just what the doctor ordered. Ian charged forward, drawing Eehuah in one decisive swipe. Red gusts of energy exploded forth, completely dissipating Raven's attack and hurling her to where her friends had been sent by her attack only minutes before.

Ian scraped Eehuah across the floor, and in one quick slash a solid crimson field rose from the ground and separated the heroes from Slade and his crew. Ian laughed as he held his weapon forth; the crystal sword sparked and shook, clearly taking all its energy to hold together such a large wall. Or perhaps it was taking all of its owner's energy; Ian was shaking, nearly losing his footing several times as he stood there.

Raven finally climbed back onto her feet, looking in shock at her hands. Ian's attack had completely obliterated her attack—and fortunately, it combined with her shock at nearly killing Starfire had brought her back to her senses. However, the question now in her mind was one of dire importance: could the power Eehuah—and the Stone of Iso Toa—contained dispel her magic?

Ivan stepped forward, ready to intervene. He knew what his son could handle, and this big of a shield was beyond his power! However, he was held back by the wrinkled hand of Mother. She shook her head, a slight smile on her face.

Slade, meanwhile, simply picked up the Stone of Iso Toa. He could feel Starfire's heart flutter as sparks roared off Ian's wall. No matter what was actually happening on the other side, he had her fearing the worst. Perfect.

"It's a shame." The malevolent figure sighed. "You could have prevented this. You could have saved them all." He paused for a second, letting it sink in. "You can still end this, Starfire. Use your Starbolts."

The Tamaranian sighed. Her battered body was at its limit, and she could no longer think straightly. Her confidence in her friends was shaken by Slade's coercing; her blurred vision and the pain searing through her head didn't help much either.

In her mind, Starfire apologized to Robin. It seemed the only way to save him was to disobey his orders. A green beam came to life, launching from the alien's eyes and into the Stone of Iso Toa.

"Finally." Slade whispered in awe as they were swallowed up in white light.

"It's too much for you, isn't it?" Zoro asked, laughing at the Iso-jin. Ian still quivered, barely holding up the shield. "You can't fight us with that thing up."

"It doesn't matter." Ian managed to spit out. "As long as they think we're fighting, I'm doing my job. You can't win, Roronoa Zoro."

"Sure we can. I just have to go through you."

Zoro smiled as he lifted his arms, positioning the backs of his two swords against the back of the one he held in his mouth. "Tora Gari!" he announced as he dashed forward, slashing downward and then across.

Ian soared backwards, falling out of consciousness. Blood spurted from the 'H' Zoro had carved into his stomach, and the wall behind them fell.

However, the sight the Straw Hats and the Teen Titans were met with was even worse then before. None of them had a second to react as they were swallowed up by the pulsating wall of white light.

Chiyu stood on the deck of Ehever, staring helplessly at the entrance to the cave. The three hour deadline Mother had given her was nearly over, and the beautiful healer dreaded the thought of heading home without her Ian.

However, just as she turned to start up the ship, she was stopped in her tracks by the sound of Iso-jin. She reacted with joy—until she saw that the soldiers were being dropped from a tremendous shadow on the side of the cave. One final soldier was spat out of the shadow as it faded into nothingness.

"Swifty!" she exclaimed as she jumped from the side of the ship and dashed up the shoreline. The Armada Leader managed to slightly turn his head at the sound of his name.

"Chiyu…" Swifty gasped. "Mother…she's crazy…"

"What do you mean?" Chiyu exclaimed, horrified at this blasphemy.

"Shes can see the future, yes?" The healer nodded. "Then…shes sacrifices all of wes. All ours fighting was just a cruel…" His speech was cut off by a disturbing cough.

Red energy flared around the girl as tears welled in her eyes. "Hold on!" she commanded as her magic engulfed the beach, healing the Iso-jin that had managed to survive their encounter. Swifty pulled himself to his feet.

"Thanks." the soldier said. His eyes suddenly shot open as if he had just remembered something. "Tank! Wes have to get to Tank!" However, just as quickly as they had shot open, his cat-like eyes now shrank into angry slits. "Then wes have to get thems too."

Three figures entered into the cavern where the Iso-jin had fought with the Straw Hats and the Teen Titans.

The fully healed, massive figure of Tank ducked down low as he entered the room. "Crikey, this place looks like a war-zone."

"Yeah," Chiyu began, "But Mother, and Ian! Swifty, you said…"

"I know what I said." the soldier interrupted. Looking around the cavern, a sad looked crossed Swifty's face. "Wes were too late."

The cavern was now completely empty.

Next time: Luffy's Day Out—A Pirate Crew In Titan's Tower


	14. Chapter 14

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 14: Luffy's Day Out—A Pirate Crew In Titan's Tower**

The blinding light died, fading as suddenly as it had overtaken them. The Teen Titans and the Straw Hats still stood in a dank cavern, but it didn't take the knowledge they all had of that light's effect to tell them they weren't in the same cavern as before.

Not even waiting for his vision to return to normal, Robin dashed forward. Slade couldn't be far—Starfire couldn't be far—but his endeavor revealed nothing. As the blurriness finally vanished from his sight, Robin realized that Slade and the surviving Iso-jin were nowhere in sight; only Starfire and Sanji's still mangled bodies lay before them.

"H-How?" stammered the Boy Wonder.

Cyborg's body beeped and buzzed as his arm popped open, a simulation of each teleportation appearing side-by-side on his monitor.

"When we were teleported the first time, we were all standing close," Cyborg began, "But this time, we were separated into two groups. It appears that our distance from the Stone determined when we were teleported—and we must have arrived long enough after Slade's group that they were able to escape." Another investigation of the cave revealed another saddening truth. "Zoro's attack even seems to have pushed Ian far enough away from us that he was teleported before us as well."

The green-haired swordsman snickered a bit, admiring his own strength. However, his joy over the pain he must have made Ian feel was short lived.

"They took the girl." he growled, referring to Tashigi. "Yet they left us the idiot cook. What a nasty trade."

As if it reminded her, Nami finally noticed her crewmate on the ground. "Sanji-kun!" she exclaimed as she dashed forward, feeling for his pulse.

Chopper didn't need to get that close to make a diagnosis. "We need to get them to a hospital quick!"

"No." Robin stated as he lifted Starfire into his arms. "They're going home with us. They'll get better care at Titan's Tower. Raven! Get us to the surface."

When he received no response, Robin and the others turned to see the blue-clad Titan on her knees.

"Raven!"

"I let you guys down!" she exclaimed. "First with the Iso-jin, and then in the cave when I let my anger explode—I nearly killed Starfire! How…how could I let my anger get that out of control? I can't get angry!"

"Calm down Raven." Terra said. She seemed to swallow a lump in her throat as she continued. "Anybody would get that mad over being betrayed."

Luffy leaned down next to her, laughing. "Besides, that was really cool!"

Again Luffy was knocked to the ground for his statement, but the attacker had something to say too. "We all can't be responsible for our emotions all the time." Nami told her. "We were all feeling it Raven. You just took action, and possibly stopped a worse fate from befalling those soldiers."

"I've fought your anger too, Raven." Beast Boy said, smiling a bit. "Remember how he kicked my butt? You do a great job under the circumstances. I couldn't control all that power myself."

"Exactly." Cyborg confirmed. "None of us are perfect. We're not going to get mad at you for a little slip-up like this."

Raven rose to her feet, a smile and a tear on her face. A smile was rare, but for Raven a tear was unheard of.

"Thanks, guys." she smiled as she raised her arms into the air. "Let's go home."

Titan's Tower was the Teen Titan's home—obviously—and was also a giant tower in the shape of a 'T'. It sat on a small island overlooking Jump City, a beacon of hope to the innocent citizens and a reminder of inevitable doom to every villain that dare set foot in the Titan's territory.

Robin led the Straw Hat Pirates off an elevator and into the living quarters; Starfire and Sanji had already been delivered to the sickbay on the lower levels, and Raven had administered a little of her power to speed-up the healing process.

The large area they now entered served both as a living room and a kitchen for the Titans. Straight across from the entrance stood a large-screen television—as tall as the wall—and stretched beside it in both directions was a long window overlooking the bay. A plush, curved couch was the centerpiece of that area, but to the group's right side there was also a kitchen area. Luffy's eyes couldn't be moved from it.

"Well, you guys," Cyborg began as he spread his arms towards his domain, "Make yourselves at home! You can use anyth—"

"Oh boy, meat!" The Titan's hospitality was interrupted by Luffy, who had just found an entire frozen turkey in the freezer. As he moved to drop the meat into his enlarged mouth, a veil of black draped over the turkey, pushing it back into the freezer Luffy had so obliviously left open. Raven moved her other hand as the entire refrigerator was covered in her power.

"We don't have enough food to feed you." Raven grumbled. Luffy blushed.

Glad the responsibility of keeping him away from the food was finally out of her hands, Nami strolled to the massive window. An amazement not seen since their entrance to the Grand Line shone in Nami's eyes as she gazed at the Jump City.

"Boy, those building sure are a lot different from ours." said the navigator to herself. "I wonder how big this island is, anyway."

Cyborg walked up besides her, chuckling a bit. "This isn't an island. We have islands here, but the city is on something called a continent. A continent is an island as big, if not bigger, then an entire ocean!"

Nami's eyes grew huge. "Really! Do you have pictures?"

The mechanical man smiled as the screen on his arm popped open, a map of the Eastern Hemisphere appearing.

Robin, meanwhile, pulled off his utility belt. "I need to refill." he sighed. Usopp seemed excited at the thought.

"Um…Robin?" the sniper asked. "Can I see your utility room?" He received as nod from the Titan, and Usopp smiled. Robin's weapons fascinated him—if his explosives were the caliber of Robin's, then nobody could stand up to Captain Usopp!

"What about a weight room?" Zoro asked, pulling his katanas from beneath his waste-band as he sauntered into the living room.

Beast Boy was the one to take up the reply this time. "Yeah, we have a weight room. It's down that hallway." As the changeling pointed down the right hall, he heard Terra snicker. "What's that about?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Terra blushed. "It's—it's just that I've never actually seen you use the weight room before."

"I've used it before!" Beast Boy rebutted.

The Earth-mover laughed again. "Only once, and that was just because you got covered in radioactive chemicals, remember?"

As Beast Boy continued to insist about his manliness, Zoro just sighed. "Forget it," the swordsman sighed as he laid his swords across his chest. "I'll just take a nap first instead."

Roronoa Zoro collapsed onto the couch, but as he landed on the cushy fabric, he felt something beneath his head. Something _human._

"GAAAAH!"

Both Zoro and the other figure jumped to their feet, jumping back and taking stances.

"Who the hell are you!" Zoro demanded.

"I could ask the same of you." the other figure returned. He was rather tall, with black pants and a blue shirt. Long, black locks of hair hung down to his shoulders and across his tan face.

Hearts began to fly from Terra's and even Raven's eyes. "Aqualad!" they both exclaimed as they dashed to the aquatic hero's side.

"Aqualad!" Beast Boy echoed as he approached the hero. "Long time no see, buddy!" The two friends extended fists, giving each other a pound. The Straw Hats simply gazed upon the Honorary Titan with wonder.

Robin easily noticed their discomfort. "Straw Hats, this is Aqualad; Aqualad, these are the Straw Hat Pirates." They exchanged nods. "Aqualad is a friend of ours and an Honorary Teen Titan. The Straw Hats, well, we've been traveling with them for a while."

"Yeah, I noticed." Aqualad grunted. "I needed to talk with you guys, but when I came in here through the sea-port the entire tower was empty. I noticed that this little guy had been left alone—" he gestured towards a large, pink larvae sleeping on a table, "—and I figured I'd take care of him until you guys got back."

A smile crossed Beast Boy's face as he swept the bizarre pet into his arms. "Silkie!" he exclaimed. The creature squealed in delight, wiggling its numerous legs as a look of happiness could be seen in its bug-eyes. "Boy, Star's gonna be so happy to see that he's okay!"

Luffy, Usopp and Chopper each grew silent in awe, moving in slowly around the pet. Beast Boy and Silkie just stared eerily at the three's awkward assault. However, Nami had found something that interested her more. She too now stood decked out besides Aqualad, the hearts flying from her head joining with Raven's and Terra's and rapidly covering the ceiling.

Fortunately, Robin didn't have such a distraction. "Wait a second, Aqualad," he began, "You said you needed to talk with us?"

The aquatic warrior turned his attention from his admirers back to the Boy Wonder. "Yeah, that's right. I found something in my ocean I think you might be interested in." Aqualad rummaged through his pocket for a second, before pulling out a disk and tossing it to Cyborg. "Give this a look, guys."

Cyborg inserted the disk into a nearby console, and instantly a blueprint-like picture appeared on their tremendous television.

Instantly, Robin's eyes shot wide in recognition. "Wait a second…the design of this place looks eerily like—"

"Slade's hideout?" Aqualad asked. As the Boy Wonder nodded in agreement, Aqualad sighed. "I thought so. I'd seen enough evidence that he was there, but I never could confirm it was actually him." Grabbing one of Zoro's katanas—dropped in their scuffle—he used it as a pointer.

"I barely got a look at the inside before I was chased away," he began as he pointed towards a diagram at the top, "but obviously the architecture in there was enough for you to confirm it belongs to Slade. However, I was able to get accurate directions to the entrance as well as its statistics from examining the outside.

"The hideout is several stories tall—all of it submerged in underground caves—with dozens of intertwining tunnels and one main chamber in the center. Also, it seems that if you dug high enough you'd break out above ground, but none of the tunnels go that high."

"Fantastic!" Robin exclaimed, driving his fist into his open palm so hard it made several of his friends jump.

Zoro raised a confused eyebrow. "But how are we going to travel underwater?"

"Easy!" Cyborg eagerly answered. "We'll use our submarine: The T-sub! It's designed to travel underwater!"

The Straw Hats gasped, and Luffy moved in with his eyes larger than saucers. "You have a boat that can travel underwater?" Cyborg nodded, and Luffy gasped again. Then he started poking him in the head. "Does that make you an Iso-jin?"

The robotic Titan's powerful metal fist sent the rubberman flying. "No." he decided to answer anyway. "Their boat is powered by the Iso Toa; mine works because of technology, just like me."

"Speaking of the T-Sub," Beast Boy began as Silkie crawled onto his shoulder, "How are we all going to get down there in it? Doesn't it only have five seats?"

Cyborg's jaw hit the ground as he realized his friend was correct.

Aqualad just laughed. "I thought that might be a problem," he began, "which is why I brought him."

With an illegible squeal, a small grey creature jumped from behind the couch, clothed in overalls and carrying a tool box.

"Tram!" Cyborg exclaimed; Tram made another incomprehensible noise, probably a return greeting. The two gave each other high fives.

While the Titan was thrilled to see this guy, the newcomers seemed rather disturbed. Even Chopper, considered a freak himself, slowly snuck behind the couch. "Who…is that?"

"This is my assistant, Tram." Aqualad smiled.

"Yeah, this little dude's almost as good a mechanic as I am!" Cyborg added eagerly. Tram squealed, seemingly in offense at the _almost_ in that statement. "With you here, we can modify the T-sub in no time!"

"_How_ soon?" Robin asked, an air of urgency appearing in his voice.

Tram tried to reply; before he could even finish squealing, Cyborg interrupted with an answer for everybody who didn't speak gibberish. "Probably by tomorrow if we work all afternoon and night—which is definitely possible as long as I plug myself in for a few hours as I work."

It was just the answer Robin was looking for. "Perfect then! By tomorrow Starfire should be rested up enough, and the rest of us can have a night to prepare!"

"Well then," Cyborg began as he and his similarly-inclined friend turned to leave, "I guess we'd better get to work." However, just as moved towards the door, it sprang open by itself, a purple and red flash dashing across the room.

"Silkie!" the streak cried as it swiped the worm from Beast Boy's arms—hurling the changeling into a near wall. The Titan's pet cooed happily as it found itself in the arms of the person it loved the most; Starfire floated in the middle of the living room, holding her precious close.

Robin was shocked, to say the least. "Star! What are you doing up? You shouldn't be moving around yet!"

"Nonsense." The troop turned to see Sanji stroll through the door. "We're fine. It's just a few scratches."

Starfire giggled as Silkie crawled up her back and onto her head. "Yes, Sanji-kun speaks the truth." she managed to interject between her laughing. "We are quite fine now that we have had the rest."

Suddenly, a blaring alarm went off; the siren sounded in rapid bursts as a red light flashed at the same time. Realizing it was the alert, the Titans stood ready—but only for a second.

"Wait a second…" Robin gasped, finally realizing that the sound was off. "That's not the trouble alert; that's—"

He didn't have time to finish as the alarm stopped—and the sprinklers kicked to life, spraying water in every imaginable direction.

"—the fire alarm."

Every eye in the room turned to Sanji, leaning against the wall with a drenched cigarette hanging limply in his fingers.

The cook looked down to the now-extinguished stick in his hand and then at the soaked group of heroes standing before him.

"Shit."

Luffy walked through the streets of Jump City, his youthful spirit reveling in the new sights to be seen. His toothy grin covered his entire face.

"Boy, this sure is a lot more fun then being with Nami."

_"Stop shaking, Luffy! You're getting water everywhere!"_

_"But I can't help it, Nami!" Luffy whined. "The water is making me weak! I have to get it off!"_

_Again the rubberman shook his body, spraying water everywhere. Beast Boy, holding a rag, groaned as the water soaked both him and the surface he had just wiped dry. "Dude, stop it! Fur's a lot harder to dry then skin, remember!"_

_Robin sighed, deciding to end this before it even started._

_"Hey, Luffy." Robin began, grabbing the pirate and leading him towards the door. "Maybe you should wait in the other room for a bit."_

_Luffy nodded as he was ushered into the hallway, looking a bit sad as the doors closed off his path into the living room._

_A second later, however, he just huffed. He could have a lot more fun without them spoiling everything._

Taking another look at the sprawling buildings, Luffy's eyes seemed to stretch now, filling up more of his face. He was truly, truly awestruck.

"Boy, I wonder how they fit all this in that tower?" he asked.

_Strolling down the hallway, Luffy came about a door with a button next to it. Not even once considering ignoring his curious nature, the rubberman pressed the button and stepped into the door besides it as it slid open. _

_The room he found himself was small, but to his delight, the walls were covered in more buttons._

_"This must lead to other rooms!" Luffy determined as he surveyed the curious surface. "Boy, how can I pick just one!"_

_But choose one he did, and as the room moved and the door opened, Luffy found himself faced by blue skies and fresh air. He was outside, on the island surrounding Titan's Tower._

_Of course, Luffy's simple-minded nature didn't let him contradict something he had already decided. If that wall o'buttons brought him to another room, then this was another room!_

_"What a big room!" Luffy exclaimed out loud as he stretched his arm behind him. "Rubber Rocket!" he cried as his arm then snapped forward, snagging the edge of a skyscraper. In one quick flash, Luffy had been unknowingly hurled into Jump City._

As the pirate captain walked into a crowd of people, he tried to drum up a conversation—mostly wondering why they were living in the tower. However, nobody would give him the time of the day, and with all the hustling, bustling, and steadfastness of the populace, Luffy quickly found himself knocked onto his bottom.

The rubberman sighed, staring into the sky as he wondered why these people were so rude. However, his attention was quickly turned from this as he noticed a billboard on top of the nearest skyscraper. Although he couldn't read English, the pretty pictures entranced him. Suddenly, the picture changed; this was a video-billboard, complete with audio.

An announcer appeared on the screen. "Are you hungry?" he asked. Luffy nodded eagerly. "Do you need a quick fuel-up in the middle of the day? Any time of day when meals aren't ready?" Luffy nodded even more, making excited noises in the meanwhile. He was always hungry, but that bastard Sanji would still only cook him three meals a day.

"Then why don't you try Zippy Bars?" the announcer suggested. "They provide a zippy burst of flavor and energy to keep you going any time of the day! You can find them at any supermarket! Try one today!"

"Okay!" Luffy replied. "I'll do that! Thanks!"

"No problem." The announcer eerily smiled before disappearing.

"Now to find a supermarket." Luffy said, looking around. Finally, he saw a man in a suit walking past. Dashing to his side, Luffy excitedly asked "Do you know where to find a supermarket?"

The civilian replied by flipping him the bird.

Luffy looked the direction his middle finger was looking, but just seemed confused. Throwing his arm forward, Luffy's limb stretched down the street and grabbed the man by the shoulder, pulling him back to the rubberman's side.

"I couldn't tell where you were pointing." he said innocently, with no idea as to what the gesture meant. "Could you show me again Mister?"

This time the trembling man really pointed towards a restaurant, and he used his index finger to do so. He never took his suddenly-bloodshot eyes off the horrific rubberman.

"Thanks, Mister." Luffy laughed as he pushed the man aside, walking into the quaint grocery store.

It was like heaven.

Luffy was simply in marvel at the neatly packaged shelves full of food. Meat, bread, meat, any food you could possible think of, ready to eat then and there! What else would there be to live for after seeing this!

The rubberman couldn't comprehend it all. What to eat first? Of course, it seemed the real question would be: what _not_ to eat?

"Rubber…" Monkey D. Luffy tossed his arms to the side, rapidly building up momentum like he would for a Rubber Gattling. "…Buffet Line!"

His arms lashed out faster then the eye could see, each time grabbing another food item. As they were pulled back to the rubberman he opened his mouth wide, letting his prizes fall straight down his throat.

One of the few employees still lucid enough after seeing Luffy's feats pressed the silent alarm, and by the time Luffy had cleared the store of all its food he was surrounded by several uniformed Rent-A-Cops.

"Freeze!" the cop yelled, his voice warbling a bit. He certainly wasn't sure of what he could do against somebody who had eaten the entire store's contents in less than three minutes, but he wasn't getting paid to sit by and watch either.

Luffy burped and turned to walk out the door.

"Fine then!" the cop retaliated, firing off his gun—his subordinates followed suit. The bullets bounced into Luffy's skin—but as expected, just like every other time—the bullets simply bounced back, shattering shelves and several cardboard cut-outs of cereal spokesmen.

The cops screamed in fright, abandoning their guns then and there and dashing towards the far exit. Luffy didn't even notice their attacks, and continued his stroll out of the store.

"I am Adonis!" The man screamed, lifting a cop car above his head. Only his head was human—the rest of the thief's body was covered in a large red, robotic shell that simulated pumping muscles.

Cops scattered as Adonis tossed their own patrol car their way, and as pavement scattered in all directions, the villain was left plenty of time to make his escape. Swiping several bags of money from the ground, he turned to dash.

Standing before him—blocking his escape—was a small, unimposing boy wearing a Straw-Hat.

"Excuse me, mister, do you know where a bathroom is?" Luffy asked, shaking his legs. "I really gotta take a piss."

Adonis raised an eyebrow. "Do you know who I am?" he asked, frustrated by the boy's ignorance. "I am Adonis! You don't ask me questions! You see my magnificent muscles and get out of the way!"

"But I really gotta pee!" Luffy cried.

"Enough!" Adonis responded, unleashing steam from the suit's mechanical muscles as he sent the rubberman flying with a backhand. The criminal then turned to leave, until he heard that same annoying voice.

"Bastard! I just gotta pee!" Somersaulting in midair, Luffy kicked towards the villain, his leg stretching across the sky and striking Adonis straight in the face. "Rubber Stamp!" As he stumbled backwards, Adonis dropped his loot. "Rubber Stamp!" Luffy span, unleashing his other foot into the suit's chest. The rubberman's kick cracked open the red-armor, and his sandal got stuck in the suit just long enough for the pirate to be pulled back onto the battlefield.

Freeing himself with a somersault, Luffy flipped a few feet away, facing Adonis.

"How dare…how dare you touch Adonis's muscles!" The villain cried, charging forward. "I will make you taste their true power!"

As Adonis charged forward, Luffy just groaned. He grabbed his right forearm with his left hand.

"Rubber…BULLET!"

With the force of both arms Luffy drove his right fist into crack created by his earlier kick. The entire suit of armor exploded, shattering in every direction. A limp, unconscious man who was nothing but skin and bones—Adonis's true form—fell to the ground.

Luffy smiled, and then noticed the money Adonis had stolen. Picking up the bag, Luffy gasped out loud at the sight inside. "Look at all this money!" he exclaimed. "Boy, this sure will be a great way to make up to Nami for getting everything wet!"

Slinging the bag over his shoulder, Luffy started to walk back in the direction he came—until he saw a street corner, and remembered he had to pee.

"Oh well, might as well."

The cops finally moved out from behind the wreckage of their car. They certainly were surprised at what greeted them—Adonis was out cold, and this kid now not only had the money, but was using a building as a bathroom!

The officers charged forward, surrounding the pirate and dropping to their knees, aiming their weapons.

"Put your hands in the air!" they commanded.

"But if I let go then it'll get all over the place!" Luffy whined.

"Man, this is taking forever." Beast Boy complained as he wiped water off of a table.

Aqualad held out his hand, and the water before him simply slid up his arm, completely under his control. "I don't know," the aquatic hero laughed, "I think it's easy enough to take care of."

Suddenly, the lights and noises started blaring once again.

"The fire alarm again!" Nami cried, ducking down low.

"No." Robin growled. "This time it really is…TROUBLE!"

As Robin dashed towards the computer, followed by the others, Aqualad offered to finish cleaning while they handed it.

"We have an entire grocery store wiped out by a single kid." Robin gasped. "And not it appears that same kid just held up a bank!"

"Wow, he must be amazingly strong!" Chopper gasped.

"Is he anybody we know?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah…he is." Robin sighed glumly. "He's a boy wearing shorts, a red vest, and a straw hat."

The others just stared at the console for a few seconds, too stunned for words.

"LUFFY!"

Next time: The Invitation—Pirates Assist the Law…Just This Once


	15. Chapter 15

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 15: The Invitation—Pirates Assist the Law…Just This Once**

The swarm of police officers kept their aim towards the mysterious rubber villain; despite already seeing their ineffectiveness—as the holes in their squad cars would prove—they could think of no other way to suppress this enemy.

Monkey D. Luffy had finished relieving himself ages ago and now leaned against the side of the building he had used as a toilet. The boy looked bored, staring into space as he dug his finger up his nose. He pulled it out, and after seeing that he found nothing special up there, he heaved a heavy sigh and again returned his gaze towards the law.

"Can I move yet?" Luffy asked. "This is taking forever, and I can find the Titans well myself."

"NO!" the head officer exclaimed, his hands shaking as sweat poured down his body. "Like I said before, you need to wait there until the Titans come!"

Again Luffy groaned, balling his hand into a fist. "That was…" he tried counting on his fingers, "A long time ago! How long does it take them to go downstairs! I can find them a lot quicker on my own!"

The officers exchanged curious glances about the downstairs statement, but their aim never wavered. Obviously tired of waiting for an answer, Luffy began picking at his ear instead.

Sirens wailed, growing louder as another cop car pulled up and joined the several already spread out to prevent Luffy's escape—although it seems their promise of the Titan's swift justice kept the criminal there for whatever reason. The new car swerved to a stop as an officer hopped out of the side, hoisting a giant weapon over his shoulder.

"I've got the missile launcher, sir!" he exclaimed.

"Thank god." The first policeman sighed, finally letting his breath out. "At the first sign of danger be ready to use it."

The officer with the deadly weapon nodded before pulling himself onto the roof of his squad car, leaning the launcher over his knee.

A frown crossed Luffy's face as he noticed the new arrival.

"See?" he asked, indignant. "Even that guy got here faster then the Titans. I'm going back myself and asking why they let such stupid people in the tower." Turning away from the officers, Luffy stretched his arm back to make his departure.

The head officer panicked, fearing the worst. "Fire!"

Smoke poured from the weapon as a missile burst out of the nozzle, winding a path towards the rubberman. As it drew close, however, the projectile found itself frozen in its tracks by a stubborn field of black.

Meanwhile, the "criminal's" escape attempt was put to an end by a falling green hippo, which quickly brought Luffy crashing to the ground under its immense weight.

As the police force stared dumbfounded at the sight, Starfire floated in front of them. Raven followed, her hands immersed in the same energy that was holding back the missile.

"Stop!" Star commanded. "Please, do not hurt our friend!"

In one swift motion the hippopotamus shifted back into our own familiar green changeling. "Yeah, this guy's with us!"

The head officer raised an eyebrow in a confused expression. "This criminal is a friend of yours?"

With one sweep of her hands Raven blew her two teammates backwards, certain she didn't want to explain pirates, Slade's plans, and the theory of trans-dimensional travel to the police. "They mean that we have him taken care of. Have a good day, officers."

"But…what about the missile?"

The Titans turned a blank stare to the still-steaming projectile Raven had frozen in midair.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it!" Luffy cried, charging past Beast Boy and winding up his arm. Both Star and Raven began to cry for him to stop, but the rubberman paid them no attention as he threw his arm forward. "Rubber Pistol!"

Luffy's rubber appendage pushed the missile far into the stratosphere, where it promptly exploded—filling the sky with fire—as the rubberman's arm snapped back to place without a scratch.

"Well, I just hope it didn't hit a plane." Beast Boy sighed.

Consciousness finally returned to the fallen Iso-jin; Ian's eyes slowly opened, and as his blurred sight so hesitantly returned to him he noticed Mother standing above him, hands clasped across her chest. Red energy flowed from her, enveloping the entire cave. He noticed the scar given to him by Zoro had vanished, and even all the successive damage done to Slade had vanished without a trace.

"Thank you, Mother." Ian whispered as he rubbed his head, thankful for the Mother's abilities to use Iso-jin healing magic; she was the one who had taught Chiyu in the art.

However, his thoughts quickly turned to the sights around him as he set his eyes upon Slade's base of operations. They were in a cavern, quite similar to the one Slade had led them to back on the Grand Line, only the room was at least twenty times larger. Several platforms of rock changed the elevation across the room, and the walls were lined with expensive machinery. In several different locations the stone walls opened into a recess, where various catwalks and turning gears made their home.

"Nice place you've got here." Ian said, obviously to Slade but at the same time he was looking nowhere near the madman. It needn't matter—Slade and the two Iso-jin leaders had already huddled together and were deep in conversation. It seemed the time for their plan to be unveiled was close-at-hand.

The crystal swordsman looked offended for a second, but then decided he would be better off if he didn't even know what was going on. He had the sinking feeling that it would only aggravate him further; he should just focus on getting to the end and helping restore glory to his island.

Of course, his plans to stay out of it were quickly demolished by the sight of Tashigi standing like a zombie, her pupils completely gone as one of the energy-connecting crystals hung from her neck.

"What's going on with her!" Ian demanded as he charged into the discussion between the three villains.

Both Slade and the boy's father frowned at his intrusion, but Mother knew just how to handle her subordinate. "Exactly what you wanted," she began. "She's going to be bait…I'm just making it easier for her to fight by controlling her."

"Controlling her?" the boy asked.

"Well…not the best choice of words I suppose." Mother admitted. "She's being animated by the great power's energy, and acting off of instinct only. Also, and more importantly, her powers are being amplified several times—perhaps to the point of surpassing you."

Ian looked genuinely worried by this statement.

"Not to worry." The old woman consoled him as she pulled another crystal from her blouse. "You all get one for the final confrontation. We're only bringing those twelve here to gather energy for us, after all."

Ivan decided this is where he would jump in. "These crystals amplify our power, letting us fight longer and harder, while at the same time collecting the energy our enemies use against us—eventually bringing us to our goal of completely unleashing the great power!"

Ian grinned devilishly as Mother slipped a crystal around his neck. "And if I get to defeat Roronoa Zoro in the meantime…"

Slade seemed to share his sentiments. "Yes, destroying the Titans will only be the beginning to the power that stone can grant me."

"So I take it we're ready for the end then, yes?" Mother asked.

"We are, but I don't know about our guests." The terrorist told her. "Their invitation is being sent, but they're not due to arrive until tomorrow. They need to be at their best, after all."

"Agreed. So that leaves only one thing doesn't it?" Again a simple statement by the eldest Iso-jin said wonders, and was met by a low snicker from Slade.

"Ah yes, the matter of my apprentice." he replied. "Don't worry; she'll be ready to assist by the time they get here. Of that I promise."

"So, what is this pizza stuff anyway?" Luffy asked. He and the three Titans accompanying him now sat around a table, outside at their favorite restaurant.

With a smile Beast Boy pointed at the table they were sitting at. It was shaped like a slice of pizza, as was the very restaurant itself. "It's a food; bread, covered in sauce, cheese, and toppings. Just like this table."

The Titans were shocked to hear the sound of crunching; Luffy had begun biting the table. "I dunno, it doesn't have much flavor."

A small explosion of black separated the rubberman from the table. "No, the table just looks like a slice of pizza." Raven sighed exasperatedly.

"Anyway," Beast Boy continued, "I'm getting a veggie pizza: green and sweet peppers, onions, pineapple and chunks of lettuce." His three companions each shot him a disturbed look at the thought of lettuce on a pizza—or in Luffy's case, of lettuce in general.

"On mine I wish to have gravy and the butter of peanuts!" Star smiled.

Knowing Starfire as they did, they thought nothing of her response and turned their sights to Raven. "Black olives," she responded with a huff, "LOTS of black olives."

"I just want meat!" Luffy added.

"Then you'll want what I'm getting!" Cyborg exclaimed, appearing behind the rubberman. "Meat lovers: pepperoni, Italian and regular sausage, ham and bacon!"

Luffy's tongue fell to the table as hearts flashed in his eyes.

However, Raven didn't respond with the same enthusiasm. "Why don't you just put a live pig on the pizza?"

"Cyborg!" Starfire exclaimed, caring more for her friends then the pizza. "You've all finally made it!"

With a chuckle the mechanical man replied, "Yeah, but it sure was a struggle to get all eight of us in the T-Car."

The T-Car was Cyborg's baby and the Titans' main form of transportation: a vehicle he had made himself. Like Cyborg, it was mostly white with portions painted metallic blue. Equipped with the latest gadgets, it was usually the best car on the road; however, the sight of seven heroes struggling to escape at the same time lessened the aura of glory surrounding a vehicle of even this caliber.

However, they finally did something right, falling out of the T-Car in a heap. Quickly jumping to their feet as if nothing had happened, the remaining Titans and Straw Hats made their way over to the table.

"Wow, this tower certainly is big!" Luffy exclaimed. "I can't believe you have to drive in it to get around!"

Robin looked confused as he plopped onto one of the benches. "What are you talking about? This isn't the t—"

His rebuttal was cut short by Raven and Nami both frantically signing for him to stop. After a moment's thought he realized what they were thinking: who wanted to explain something like that to Luffy?

"So, are we all ready for pizzas then?" Robin asked instead, ready to change the subject. He pulled a thick wad of money from his belt.

"But nobody's even asked us what we want yet!" Terra complained, speaking for all of the new arrivals.

In one blurred motion Nami had moved to Robin's side, hearts now pumping in her usually calm eyes. "I'm sure they'll make a good decision." She held out her hand hopefully. "You know, Robin, I'll buy them if you want me to."

Glares from both Zoro and Cyborg—probably ones that helped coin the phrase "If looks could kill"—brought the thief back to her senses. "Sorry," she blushed as she slinked into her seat, "force of habit."

However, Nami's eyes still followed the money as Robin waved his hands about, tallying votes and figuring out if they could even afford 20 meat lovers pizzas—which they couldn't, much to Luffy's chagrin.

Of course, some people couldn't care less about pizza.

"What do you mean you don't sell sake?" Zoro demanded, pounding his fist upon the counter. The cashier slunk back, not sure how to explain the state's alcoholic beverage laws—until he remembered the phrase his manager kept repeating to him like a mantra: the customer is always right.

"Actually, we have some whiskey in the fridge in the back." he told the green haired swordsman, who nodded eagerly. Hoping his manager would care more about a sale then about the loss of one of his beers, he stopped short as he remembered yet another requirement of his job.

"I'm sorry sir, but how old are you?"

"Nineteen," Zoro answered, "But that the hell does that have to do with anything?"

The cashier took a step back, anticipating the response. "I'm sorry, but we can't serve you alcohol if you're under twenty-one."

"What kind of bullshit rule is that!" the swordsman exclaimed, driving his fist into the counter with such force that it crumbled beneath his mighty strength.

However, Zoro's tantrum was interrupted by a scream from his navigator. With a quick turn he noticed Robin's money being whisked out of his hand by a swift figure clad in black.

"That's one of Slade's minions!" Robin exclaimed as Nami turned pale at the loss of the cash. Then—in a red and green flash—the boy wonder chased after him, the two nearly instantly running out of sight.

With a slight stutter it was Chopper who finally spoke up. "S-should we try to help him?"

Any possible answer to his inquiry was halted by an explosion and the pink goop that consequently rained across the town. The Straw Hats looked in terror—and the Titans with an expression that neared mere annoyance—as the giant monster leered itself over the buildings. Several stories tall, the creature was comprised of that same pink goop, with about a dozen green, bulbous eyes emerging from the top. He opened his gigantic mouth, letting loose a shriek that shattered windows.

"It's Plasmus again!" Cyborg announced, his arm already shifting back into his Sonic Cannon.

"Again!" Usopp cried in terror. "You've fought this guy more then once!"

"Yes, several times in fact." Starfire told him. Then she smiled as she added, "However, we always kick his butt!"

"Then we'll help this time, and he'll go down even faster." Zoro proclaimed as he tied his bandanna onto his head, forgetting he ever needed some sake. Never one to be outdone by the seaweed-head, Sanji leapt to his feet and followed the Titans' charge.

Nami stared helplessly as her friends ran towards the new threat. "I'll…I'll guard our table!" she exclaimed, not knowing what else she could possibly do at the moment.

"Me too!" Usopp echoed.

"No you won't!" Nami roared, snapping together her staff and sending the coward flying with one mighty swing. "You'll help, and that's final!"

Usopp soared into the charging group of heroes, landing—fortunately for him—on the back of Tony Tony Chopper, who had taken his reindeer form for the charge. Beast Boy, meanwhile, shifted into the shape of a Pterodactyl, flying above his mechanical companion. Cyborg grabbed his leg, and the changeling lifted him high into the air and towards the looming pink threat.

Finally noticing the Titans, Plasmus let loose a shriek that told all within earshot that he was not happy to see them. Unfortunately, that shriek was accompanied by a shot of toxic green chemicals. Cyborg screamed as Beast Boy soared above it, diving in close to the bulbous monster. Aiming his arm, the mechanical Titan fired off several rapid-fire shots of sonic energy, blowing an equal number of holes through the creature.

Before Plasmus could even regenerate he was pelted by a harsh storm of green energy blasts. Starfire wouldn't let up in her vicious Starbolt assault, and the force of the attacks actually pushed the monster down the street. Not taking too happily to this turn of events, the blob opened wide and let loose several more streaks of deadly acid.

However, Starfire wouldn't let up; she was confident her teammates would be there to protect her. Of course she was correct, and as if on cue Raven appeared before her, taking control of Plasmus's attacks with one simple hand-motion. She then easily threw his attacks aside, and another swipe-of-hand covered a nearby car with a field of black, hurling it towards the giant pink monster.

Unfortunately, nobody had given a second thought to Plasmus's first spurt of acid, which was now rapidly hurling itself toward Chopper and Usopp. As Usopp screamed, Chopper shrank down to his true form—letting the sniper on his back fall to the ground with a thud—and pulled a small yellow ball from his backpack.

"RUMBLE!"

Chopper quickly moved to his Jumping Point, taking on its aerodynamic body and powerful legs; one slight tap to the ground sent him hurling over the acid. This reduced Usopp to hysterical tears as he curled into the fetal position.

"Tatsumaki!" Usopp looked up, and noticed that Zoro now stood before him, all three swords drawn. The force of the green-haired demon's attack had sent Plasmus's acid hurling in all directions, as if he had created a tornado. Before he could even thank him, Zoro dashed off.

Meanwhile, Plasmus let forth another primal scream; however, this one wasn't accompanied by spurting acid, but instead by the return throw of the car Raven had hurled into his stomach. The vehicle collided with the mid-air duo of Beast Boy and Cyborg, grounding both of them.

"Kokute Roseo!" Chopper cried as he used Plasmus's own attack against him, attacking while he was distracted. Taking on the outrageously bulked muscles of his Arm Point, he drove one supercharged hoof through the monster's head—to no avail. Barely paying him notice, one of the green bubbles atop the creature's head moved down, swallowing up the reindeer.

Luffy cried out, ready to rescue his friend, but was held back by his cook instead. "I could use a lift." Sanji told him.

"Rubber Slingshot!" Luffy cried as his arm snapped forward—Sanji holding on for dear life. The cook let go and was propelled through the air and straight towards his crewmate's prison; letting loose a scream that no doubt translated to some French food Sanji plowed his foot through the bubble and freed Chopper. However, his flight didn't end, and he soared straight through a window and into a building.

Meanwhile, Luffy's attempt to riddle the beast's side full of rubber bullets was put to an end as his arm quickly became stuck in the pink muck. Fortunately for him, a quick swipe from Zoro freed Luffy—and that particular piece of muck—from Plasmus's side.

Chopper, reduced to his normal form—or Brain Point—pulled himself to his feet. "I found his weakness!" he cried. "He's a normal guy who becomes Plasmus when he's awake! We just need to put him to sleep!"

"Easier said then done." Cyborg groaned. "Getting through the gunk to the man is a pretty hard feat."

Meanwhile, Beast Boy had found something else to marvel over. "You can discover people's weaknesses?" Chopper nodded, adding that it was an ability he got from the Rumble Ball. "Awesome! That'll sure come in handy someday!"

"Enough talking!" Cyborg chastised them. "Fight!" As he commanded them he also hurled that same car towards the monolith once again. Still floating by the side of the now tiring Starfire, Raven noticed and followed suit, propelling an abandoned bus towards Plasmus.

Usopp smiled, realizing now was the time to add his attack. "Killer Move…Fire Star!" Unleashing a flaming projectile from his slingshot, it and the two vehicles hit home at the same time—and resulted in an unparalled explosion. Plasmus's entire head was decimated, slinging gunk across the buildings.

"Good thinking Usopp!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Igniting the gasoline was the perfect idea!" Usopp nodded, dumbfounded—what dumb luck!

While the explosion knocked Starfire and Raven from the sky, it gave the ground troops their opening. Beast Boy charged as a rhinoceros, and Chopper followed by taking his Horn Point—dropping to all fours, this form let his six-foot antlers do the talking. However, as the bottom of Plasmus squirmed it also formed a mouth, spitting another stream of toxic liquid towards the shapeshifters.

As the two stopped, they were surprised to still be in one piece. "Are you guys okay?" Terra asked, her powers holding a wall of rock between the two and Plasmus. As they nodded, Terra screamed and clenched her fists; the wall of stone exploded, pelting the monster with razor-sharp pebbles.

"Uh, guys…you should look at this!" Usopp backed up, eyes wide in terror as he watched the chunks of Plasmus—sent flying by the explosion—start moving on their own. One moved close to the coward, moaning eerily.

It was instantly downed by the rock-shattering force of Sanji's foot. The chef twirled forward, instantly downing nearly a dozen more blobs. Not one to be surpassed by a love-cook, Zoro dashed forth, his three swords making mincemeat of just as many enemies. Terra followed suit, summoning spiky rocks directly beneath the self-moving refuse.

Meanwhile, both Starfire and Cyborg pointed towards Plasmus's unharmed bottom-half. With a scream it let loose a stream of acid; with two screams the Titans unleashed a combined blast of green and blue, tearing through the acid and slamming the monster into a building, shattering the concrete behind him. They had to finish him before he regenerated fully!

Usopp stuttered as five or six small blobs of Plasmus marched closer. "Caltrop Hell!" he cried as he pulled a sheet from his bag; flinging it, several dozen caltrops hurled out of it and towards the little monsters. The spiky, jack-like devices landed on the beasts—to no avail, as they puffed their chest and repelled the attack right back at Usopp. The sniper flinched, cowering at the threat.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The marksman opened his eyes to the fantastic sight of his Caltrops suspended before him, in a field of black. "Thanks!" Usopp cried to Raven, floating above his shoulder.

"Actually," Raven admitted, "I should be thanking you." She thrusted both hands forward, and in a whirlwind of black the Caltrops spiraled forward. With Raven's force behind the spiky projectiles, they shredded the remaining minions in no time. Then, they simply floated back into Usopp's bag.

However, more trouble was being had with Plasmus's other half. It was obvious that Starfire and Cyborg were running out of energy, yet the monster showed no sign of slowing down yet!

"We need assistance!" Star cried fearfully.

"You got it!" Luffy cried from far in the air. Soaring above Plasmus, he thrust one leg into the air at a 90 degree angle; the leg stretched far into the stratosphere. "Rubber…" With the snap of a rubber band his leg flew down. "…AXE!" His leg landed in the middle of Plasmus, completely splitting the creature in half.

As Luffy's leg retracted back to its normal length, it could be seen that a shirtless, unconscious man had been hit by the rubberman's attack, and was now ground into the pavement. Plasmus was defeated.

"I thought you guys said he was weak!" Usopp exclaimed.

"He normally is." Cyborg admitted. "I don't know what was with him today."

"This was." Terra said, pulling a yellow disk from Plasmus's chest. Despite Luffy's Herculean attack, it hadn't even been dented. An 'S' adorned the front—a sign of Slade for sure. "I bet this was amplifying his power."

As the others drew close around her, sparks flew from the device. Terra dropped it in fright, but nobody expected a hologram of Slade to appear as it hit the ground. Yet, that's exactly what happened.

Slade's minion—money still tucked in its belt—fired off a sparkling red blast of energy towards the Boy Wonder. Robin easily leapt above it, hurling a Redbird that shattered his opponent's blaster.

Then—becoming nothing but a red-and-green blur, Robin swiped the robot's feet from beneath him. However, it never hit the ground. Next, the Titan laid hold of the minion's arm, ripping it straight from its metallic socket, and bashed the machine across the head with its own arm. Following up with one final blow to the chest, Slade's minion short circuited as it finally landed with a thud, spewing sparks.

With a small growl Robin ripped the mask off of the creature, revealing a small viewscreen hidden inside the robot's head.

"Come on Slade," Robin began as he pulled his money from the minion's belt, "Don't tell me you're resorting to petty theft."

Slade's face appeared on the screen, chuckling slightly. "Of course not, Robin. I just needed your attention."

"Why!" he cried, slamming the robot's head against the ground. "What are you trying to do!"

"Come now, Robin, calm down." Slade commanded. "You know that can't hurt me." The boy wonder let go of the robot's neck, trying to regain his composure. Slade _wanted_ to see him flip out like this. "I'm simply sending you an invitation."

Robin's face contorted. "An invitation? What about Plasmus!"

"Oh, he's an invitation for the others." The madman replied. "I just wanted to talk to you separately. I'm assuming by now Aqualad has already reported to you the location of my hideout." Robin nodded, his eyebrows furrowed to the point of nearly touching. "Then I request the presence of the other Teen Titans, the Straw Hat Pirates, and yourself at my hideout, tomorrow at noon sharp."

"Why should we?" Robin growled.

"If you want to keep this city in one piece, you'll come." Slade threatened. "If you want your friends to ever get home again, you'll come. You have to come, Robin. It's your job."

Robin slammed his fist against the pavement, knowing it was true. "What about my friends! Why the separate invitation!"

"It took you one minute to chase my minion down," Slade began, seemingly ignoring the Titan's inquires, "and then only ten seconds to beat it senseless. That's a new record, Robin."

"What are you talking about!" the boy wonder screamed, losing the composure he struggled so valiantly to keep whenever Slade showed his face.

"My new apprentice could half that time, easily." Slade smiled. "Tomorrow, Robin, you meet. It's time for the final game to begin, and I look forward to it."

Slade's image disappeared from the screen with a small blip.

"Me too Slade, me too." Robin said, rising to his feet. "It's about time we end this. Iso-jin, new apprentices, they mean nothing. I'm going to take you down myself, I swear it."

Next Time: Slade's Apprentice—Begin the Final Confrontation!


	16. Chapter 16

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 16: Slade's Apprentice—Begin the Final Confrontation!**

With a soft thud, the green-skinned creature fell from the perch of his bunk-bed to the debris-littered floor beneath him. He moaned weakly as he pulled himself onto his feet, quickly swiping at his disheveled hair for a second before deeming it presentable. On the other side of the room a tiny reindeer sat on the floor, a variety of mixtures strewn about him, all seemingly pulled from the pink backpack that lay open next to him. However, he was only concerned with the three yellow orbs that lay directly before him. Upon the beckoning of his green-hued companion he gathered his items and quickly scurried from the room.

The grey-skinned girl, however, stood alone in her room. Candles flickered faintly around her as she draped her cloak around her tiny shoulders, clasping it shut before she finally pulled its hood over her head—instantly covering her beautiful-yet-somber face in frightening shadows. Then she was gone, fading into the ground beneath her in a puddle of black.

Meanwhile, the navigator stood by a large window, propping herself with her staff as she gazed upon the peaceful waves of the ocean. However, as a wave crashed upon the shore she tightened the grip she had on her weapon—no matter what, she would do something to help today!

It was unknown if the same sentiment was shared by a wide-eyed blonde as she stared into her mirror. Her reflection offered an expression with feelings so mixed you'd think they had been run through a blender. However, she quickly came to a decision, grabbing her goggles from her dresser as she passed through the automatic doors into the hall.

Papers flew from their homes pinned on the wall as the boy flipped through the air, pulling off several acrobatic feats before landing. A primal growl crept from his throat as he picked up one of the papers he had knocked loose from the wall—a face on it kept staring back with one haunting eye. The boy pinned it back onto the wall—where it was accompanied by several dozen more sharing similar subjects—and headed towards the door, pausing only long enough to grab his fully-restocked belt.

The chef stood where he belonged—in the kitchen—his knife rapidly dicing through layers of eggs and meat. He was already dressed in the finest of attire, though its elegance didn't match his current disposition; the cook's face could be mistaken for one of a zombie as he screamed at the boy in the straw hat. That rubberman, meanwhile, screamed in return, his cries for meat echoing throughout the tower. However, whatever effort he put forth was in vain; the more the boy wailed, the more indignant the chef became. This food, he insisted, was for a lady.

And that it was, as the cook pushed the plate down the counter to the delighted alien girl. Her green eyes lit up—in a non-lethal way—as she proceeded to gobble down the food like a ravenous wolf—or, daresay, like the very rubberman who desired her meal?

The smell of simmering meat finally aroused the green-haired warrior into consciousness. As he tried to pull himself upright, he realized his body was weighted down—and rightfully so, as in both hands and his mouth rested tremendous barbells. Finally rising to his feet, he swung them about a bit before abruptly dropping them, opting instead to head for his breakfast.

The force of several hundred pounds hitting the floor set the liar's explosives ablaze; he paid it no mind as he wiped the ash from his dark face and gathered up the inventions he deemed worthy to accompany him into this final battle. His beloved slingshot was the last, and afterwards he snapped his bag shut and headed towards breakfast.

However, there wasn't time. The doors opened, and their spiky-haired leader walked through. It didn't take more then one firm gesture to get them all up and out the door. The final hour was close-at-hand.

They were prepared for that trip, for certain. At the base of the newly renovated vehicle slept a tiny mechanic, exhausted by the night's work. The other mechanic, however, seemed undaunted as he pulled a plug from his chest, easily tossing it aside. As his teammates entered the room, he smiled and flashed them his sensors: 100 they read. From the other side of the marina came another nod of approval from a blue-clad hero, water dripping from him. Everything was clear.

"Okay then!" the leader exclaimed. "It's time to go!"

Aqualad swam ahead of the T-Sub, leading the way to Slade's underwater lair. However, it might be thought he was trying not to be seen with the atrocity; the need for swift modifications hadn't left the submarine looking its best. Seven new cockpits accompanied the five original, but these were makeshift, easily standing out to even the most ignorant of people.

"How much further?" Robin requested over their intercom. Though the boy wonder's patience had always been thin, it seemed to be even on shorter supply today. After all, today was a day he had been waiting for what seemed like forever.

"Just a few more feet and it should be in view." Aqualad replied, kicking mightily as his mastery of the sea allowed him to easily keep up with a submarine.

The figures within that vessel bristled, all responding differently to the thought of their upcoming confrontation.

Starfire swallowed the lump in her throat. "So, then this is really the end? I mean, all there is left to do is—"

"Go in there and kick all their asses!" Luffy exclaimed, pumping his arm in the air.

"Yes, but then what?" Star continued. "Must you return home?"

A silence fell upon the heroes; they had always been trying to return home, and return they must, but…after being with these friends for what seemed like such a long time, who wanted to go home?

"Um, you guys, sorry to break this up, but we're here." Aqualad announced. The Straw Hats' and Teen Titans' attention was diverted to something of more imminent importance: the unmistakable cave entrance looming before them.

It was no surprise that Slade chose this place. While the rushed shots Aqualad had taken of the inside—showing turning gears and strange devices—was a telltale sign of Slade's presence, the outside showed another eerie side of his personality. The entrance of the cave was shaped like a distorted smile—although the villain's mask forever shrouded his face, it was easy to picture this expression pasted on his face as he taunted the Titans.

"This was easier then I thought it would be." Sanji said. "You'd think a guy like this would have mermen or something waiting to attack us."

"Um…actually…" Aqualad began, but his statement was brought to a halt by a shrieking siren going off in his ear.

Accompanying the alarm was several dozen strange bleeps on the radar. "It's a missile defense system!" Raven exclaimed.

"I'd rather have the mermen." Sanji groaned.

Bubbles filled the water like a fog as the projectiles roared towards the T-Sub. "The T-Sub is too big to get through that!" Robin exclaimed. "We're going to have to separate!"

"Yes!" Usopp exclaimed. "Running away is definitely the best option here!"

"We can't!" interjected Cyborg. "We're lucky to have this thing up and running in one night! There wasn't enough time to install the separate option on the new cockpits! It's all together or not at all!"

Usopp's knees clattered even louder. "Then turn around! Turn around!"

"Enough!" Zoro exclaimed. "We can't turn around!" As the swordsman argued with his cowardly crewmate, Raven's eyes began glowing as she hoped to change the trajectory of the deadly field.

However, that was not needed. A sudden change in the water's current sent the missiles spiraling out of control.

"Go on you guys!" Aqualad commanded, his arms thrusted before him as he took control of the ocean around him. "I can hold these things back! Get inside!"

His fellow Titans saluted him as the T-Sub roared past. However, the Honorary Titan's job was not complete yet. As he turned his attention back to his adversaries, he was troubled to see that they had already righted themselves, and were now heading straight towards him!

"No you don't!" exclaimed Aqualad as he again thrusted his arms forward; the force not only sent him reeling backwards, but created a jet-current that blew through the missiles, detonating those that came in contact with it.

The T-Sub surfaced in a pool of water; the passageway through the twisted "mouth" of the cave led to a small grotto that was obviously the entrance to Slade's headquarters. Twelve visors popped open as the heroes leapt from the vessel and onto dry land again.

"I hope Aqualad is okay." Starfire said, staring wistfully back in the direction of their friend.

"He'll be fine." Raven began, her ears perking at a strange noise in the background. "We, however, still have a lot to worry about."

"You mean like that strange marching sound in the distance?" Beast Boy asked.

The noise grew louder, and it was obvious that a large force was on the way.

"They sound like giant ants!" Usopp exclaimed, shaking. However, he quickly changed his tune. "Ha, they'll receive the same fate as that giant army of ants I fried with my Fire Star!"

Nobody paid the liar any mind as the army appeared on the horizon, proving to be exactly what the Titans expected: a force of Slade's minion robots.

"This is the worst invitation I've ever gotten!" Chopper cried, dashing behind Nami's legs.

"What did you expect?" Zoro asked as he pulled his bandanna from his arm. "We've known all along that this likely would be an invitation to death."

"No," growled Robin, "Slade's not trying to kill us yet. This is all a test, a game. He's playing with me—with us!" Then, without a moment's notice, the Boy Wonder burst forward in a hatred-driven dash, his staff shattering an entire line of robots. Their remains hadn't even hit the floor as he continued his frenzy, littering the air with battered gears and severed mechanical limbs.

Not needing his call of "Titans, Go!" to know this was time for action, the others followed suit, and in seconds the army had been obliterated. Unlike the earlier assault against the Iso-jin armada, this time no mercy was given. No punch was pulled, no respect for life was even considered; and while their opponents were robots, the expressions chiseled upon their faces showed that it would likely be the same no matter who their enemy was.

As the final dust from the short battle cleared, the twelve friends continued on in an unusual silence. This grotto only had one exit; a tremendous arch loomed before them, leading the heroes into a disturbing darkness.

Though you could hear his knees clattering, not even Usopp could come up with an objection as they entered into the next room and was instantly confronted with another pitfall. Literally, their path had ended. Before them lay nothing but a hole of endless black; ferocious enough that you might fear it would swallow up the light itself.

"Figures." Robin snarled. "Of course he would have more traps."

"Of course, Robin," Slade replied, stepping out of the shadows. He stood on a cliff facing the group, directly across the gap. "Though I wouldn't expect this puny trap to be able to stop you. However, it worked wonders against your friend Aqualad."

As the Boy Wonder's over-the-top growls drowned out the responses of his fellow allies, Slade's allies decided to make their appearance. Stepping from behind the madman, Mother, Ivan and Ian took their places besides Slade.

This time Zoro's screams of "Come over here and fight me bastard!" drowned out even Robin's hatred.

However, business had to be handled, and again the Boy Wonder's natural leadership abilities took the fore. "What do you want! Why did you call us here!"

"Come now Robin, certainly you must have figured that out by now." Slade sighed. "My reasons have never changed all this time. Just like the Stone itself, just like Starfire's ability to take us home," he paused as his eyebrow arched low, "Just as you as my apprentice, I need something you have."

"We're not giving you anything!" Robin cried desperately; the cracking of Luffy's knuckles and the clank of Zoro's swords backed up his threat.

Slade, however, laughed heartily—a strange sight in itself. "You won't give me anything?" Robin nodded slowly, never letting his resolute expression waver. "Robin, you can't refuse me something that's already mine."

"What?"

"Apprentice, come!"

Slade's command sent the twelve into silence. Slade's apprentice? Starfire sent a stunned glance in Robin's direction; it appeared he was there, but was he really? Had he fallen victim again? Both Zoro and Sanji had no idea what to expect, but crouched down low anyway; an ally of Slade's was an enemy to them—no matter what—and that meant a fight.

Robin's attention, however, was focused on a different part of that exchange. Something from them; something already his? Slade's apprentice?

Could it be!

However, just as two and two finally put themselves together in the detective's mind, four presented itself anyway. A gloved hand pushed the Boy Wonder aside; a yellow flash floated the figure across the ravine and to her master's side.

_"Wherever I go, disasters follow." Terra sighed. It was her first night with the Titans; she and Beast Boy sat at the foot of the tower, waves washing upon their feet. "Landslides, earthquakes, bottomless pits…I'm a walking disaster. I can't control it!"_

_"What do you do then?" Her companion asked, his eyes wide._

_ "I move on." She simply said. "I leave them behind, hope for the best in a new place." Her depressed sighs quickly changed to a desperate question. "Beast Boy! Promise me! You can't tell anybody!"_

_"I promise." Beast Boy replied firmly, his feelings for the new arrival outshining any safety issues. "I won't tell a soul."_

Her back still to her companions, the lone girl slowly strolled from her hovering rock. Her pace didn't pick up as the boulder tumbled into oblivion; the hearts of her companions weren't far behind.

_"That was fantastic Terra!" Cyborg exclaimed; she had accompanied the five back to Titan's tower after another showdown with none other then Slade himself._

_"Yeah, you did a good job." Robin complimented. "But I noticed you had a little trouble controlling your power. Don't worry though, we can help you with that."_

_The earth mover's jaw fell; her spirit was broken. "Beast Boy! You said you wouldn't tell!"_

_In an instant Terra had fled the tower, leaving the Titans to stare blankly; Beast Boy in particular looked crushed._

_"Um…sorry?" Robin asked. "Honestly, it was just something I noticed."_

_However, it was too late for Terra to hear apologies as she ran from the giant T. Unfortunately, she was not alone in her escape. One malevolent eye was keeping watch over the powerful new target._

She finally finished her fateful walk, arriving at the side of her master. She was small, barely reaching the man's shoulder, but the impression she was making couldn't be larger.

_"We can't just let her join!" Raven objected. "You just can't say you've gotten control out of the blue! I have to meditate every day to keep my powers under control!"_

_However, Raven's rant was interrupted by the pulsing sounds of the Trouble Alert._

_"I'm on it!" Terra exclaimed, happy to have an excuse to skip Raven's lecture. She ran for the elevator, followed eagerly by Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy—all enthusiastic about their favorite earth-mover's return._

_However, in her haste to flee she brushed up against Raven's open arm. Troubled thoughts transferred minds—tears, condolences, power, fear, hatred—if only she could place what they pointed to!_

_"What's wrong Raven?" her leader asked. "Should we trust her?"_

_"I can't tell." The witch sighed. "For once, I honestly can't tell."_

The girl's face still held those conflicted thoughts. She finally turned, her wide eyes conveying a multitude of emotions, yet at the same time keeping her true intentions a secret.

Was it regret she felt? Had she come to care for these new friends more then her master? Or perhaps they showed pride at being able to fool the Teen Titans? It was also entirely possible that she was pained at her own weakness; at relying on Slade for the control she so desperately desired to have.

_Terra stood alone in her new room, marveling at the beautiful desert murals on the wall and the breath-taking views from her picture windows._

_In her hands rested a small yellow communicator, adorned with the Titans' trademark 'T'. It was official: she was a Teen Titan. Trust was something that could only be earned, and tonight Terra had earned it. She had saved her new home; she had fended off the Titans' fiercest enemy._

_Collapsing onto her bed, the earth-mover held the device above her face with a smile. "They trust me," she said, gazing upon the communicator still. "They actually trust me."_

"Terra?" Usopp's knees couldn't take it anymore, and the sniper instantly collapsed.

Her other suitor was similarly affected. "Terra…how, how could this be possible?" A tear fell down the shapeshifter's cheek, staining his green fur.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!" Raven exclaimed. "All this time I knew you were a liar, a traitor!" A tinge of red sparked to life in her eyes.

Luffy scratched his head, oblivious to the immensity of the situation. "What's an apprentice anyway?"

"You're right, Raven." Terra said with a smirk. "You should have never trusted me. None of you should have. But you didn't know; none of you ever knew."

Terra's 360 turn in demeanor took her friends by surprise. It took a few awkward moments before everything fully resonated; before they could even think to reply. Finally, Starfire spoke up.

"But why, friend?" she asked desperately. "What would make you do this?"

The traitor frowned. "Slade gave me control; he gave me security. All you ever did was betray my trust!" Beast Boy gasped as Terra took an even bitterer tone. "Slade's control came faster then it ever could have from you!"

"And that, dear Titans, is all I need from you." Slade said with an air of finality. "Terra, for your first _official_ act as my apprentice," his eye narrowed into a slit, "Send them to their doom."

Yellow emanated from the girl's palms, and traveled across her entire body. Terra shone like a translucent, traitorous sun.

"As you wish Master."

With a scream the aura shot from around her, and the rock beneath the feet of the Straw Hats and the Teen Titans crumbled. Nothing smaller then pebbles remained, and just to make things certain, both the ceiling and the walls besides them threw in their fair share, pelting the heroes relentlessly.

In only a few seconds, the eleven had fallen helplessly into the bottomless abyss.

"Well done." Slade complimented, turning to leave the room. "Come, my child. More urgent matters await us."

Terra followed with a stunted pace that could be attributed to either lethargy or remorse; again, her actions hid her true intentions, whatever they may be.

The three Iso-jin finished the procession, their silent accompaniment all a part of the ruse. Their enemies thought it was over, but it hadn't even yet begun. The true reason for their invitation began as soon as those children regained consciousness. Until then, even their new ally was caught up in the deception.

The five returned to Slade's main room of operations. The two Iso-jin men both went their separate ways, Ian drawing his sword and making a few random slashes while Ivan just sat on a rock, watching the others.

Terra was surprised to find herself with no commands. Both Slade and Mother moved towards a series of viewscreens that seemed to be keeping tabs on the various caverns in the compound.

With no idea what she was supposed to do now, the earth-mover wandered towards a small pedestal on the other side of the room. Atop it sat the Stone of Iso Toa—glistening in an ever increasing aura of red.

It was hard to believe everything had started just because of this. Of course, Terra's trip down this path had begun long before the Stone's appearance. Still, she owed a lot to this little stone—the seeds of doubt had been planted in her head ever since joining the Teen Titans, but never had they been so aptly brought to life until the Stone of Iso Toa had entered the picture.

"Brilliant, isn't it?" Slade asked, startling his apprentice. She span to face the madman. "The true power contained within that stone is enough for me to conquer this entire planet! Can you imagine what we can do with it, Terra?"

The possibilities seemed endless indeed, but that wasn't what was troubling the young earth-mover. "It's 'true power'?"

"Indeed." Her master replied. "The latent power of this stone is magnificent; however, it will take a quite a bit of energy to release. _That_, my child, is where the Titans come in. They have all the power I need to open the path to _true_ power."

"What about them?" Terra inquired, nodding towards the Iso-jin.

Slade snickered softly. "They informed me of the Stone's true powers, as well as the way to unleash them. However, I doubt I'll be sharing any of it with them. With such power at my hands, what threat do they possibly hold?"

"I see." Terra said, frowning. "Such disregard for allies—just like with Smoker."

"Come now my child, if I taught you anything I taught you that even trust, ultimately, is just a tool."

"Of course you did," Terra began, "Which is why I'm still surprised I trusted in you at all."

Despite a statement of near-blasphemy from his apprentice, Slade's expression didn't shift in the slightest.

"Whatever happened to our plan, Slade?" she asked, malice in her voice. "I infiltrate the Teen Titans, I hand you over their secrets, and we strike? All of a sudden you try to steal that stone! Do you realize what I've been going through this entire time? No idea what your plan is, no idea how I should act or when—or if at all—you'll reveal my alliance!"

Slade's frown deepened. "You followed orders this entire time, as I would expect of my apprentice."

"What sort of relationship is that!" Terra asked. "That stone opened my eyes to your true nature!"

"Nonsense!" Slade exclaimed, interrupting his apprentice's rant. "You've known all along this was a simple trade—I give you control if you give me loyalty!"

Terra's eyes grew wide at the direction Slade was taking this.

Her fear was founded as the fiend continued his speech. "Don't try to feign that this stone changed your perspective! My child, while you may have fooled your friends, do not think that you're good enough of an actor to fool me!

"You're simply weak! They show you a little kindness and you take their side! Then again, I expected as much. You're stronger then Robin, but you haven't got his will, his pride. You, it seems, will switch sides in an instant."

Sweat poured down Terra's face as she endured the verbal beating.

"Not only that, but you're a fool as well! You think you can pretend to betray your friends so that you can take me down before they're put in danger? It's a suicide play! My child, there's no way you can win."

The look of pain and terror Terra displayed finally dropped as a strange smile crossed her face instead.

"The only way I am a fool was to ever trust you in the first place!" she exclaimed. "You're right, though. _They're_ the reason why I defy you—I figured denying my role in your empire wouldn't work, so I decided to take you down myself instead!

Slade unleashed a pent-up breath. "Then enough with the talk—why don't you back your words with actions for once!"

Her trademark yellow aura exploded around her as Terra screamed, charging forward.

Slade charged as well, pulling his staff and leaping into the air, becoming a black blur.

So now was the time for the clash—master against his former apprentice. Of course, the master was unworthy of the title, while the apprentice had—within ten minutes—betrayed everybody with whom she had ties. What good could come from such a maneuver, such a fight?

Unfortunately, at the moment it looks like none at all.

Next Time: Terra vs. Slade—Fallout of a Betrayal


	17. Chapter 17

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 17: Terra vs. Slade—Fallout of a Betrayal**

Her entire life had been spent running. In her wake she left destruction—earthquakes, landslides, bottomless pits. Just when she felt as if she had finally found a home, her trust was betrayed. With nowhere else to go, she found control at the hands of a man she had considered her enemy. However, his training came at a great price; now at the fiend's eternal whim, she found herself infiltrating the compound of their mutual enemies.

However, she came to know these five in a new light. Their time together truly bonded the six into a family, while it only drove apart apprentice and master. Of course, her master wasn't a man to be crossed so easily; so when the time came to reveal her alliances, the girl betrayed her new family. If she denied the will of her master, harm would only befall her friends—their trust would be lost without reason.

The way she planned it, her betrayal of her friends would mean nothing if she brought them their enemy, and her master: beaten, battered and broken.

This is the story of Terra. Mistakes are scattered throughout, forever marring this young girl's life. These situations have left her without an alliance, valiantly fighting against the very man from whom she had first gone to for control.

Unfortunately, the saddest chapter of her story is yet to unfold.

With a remarkable scream Terra's yellow aura flared to life, billowing around her. Suddenly she shot into the air, atop a small crag. As if following its command, dozens of smaller rocks burst forth from the ground, hovering in place for a moment before propelling themselves towards Slade.

"Come now, my child." Slade sighed, coming to a standstill. He was unreasonably calm as the storm of stone surrounded him, tapping his bo-staff menacingly in his palm. "A trick like this is rudimentary. I've taught you better."

Just as the first projectile would have hit home, Slade ducked beneath it. Not pausing for a second, he instantly leapt into the air, the force of the combined movements propelling him far above the storm of rock. Of course their course changed, and the stones arced into the air.

However, Slade was most prepared for an attack of this sort. Like an acrobat on crack he twisted and twirled, his descent slowed by the constant recoil of rock being batted from the sky. In a breath-taking swipe his leg knocked a jagged pebble away, while at the same time his sweeping arms wiped out the stones taking on his front side.

Finally the terrorist landed, but this provided him no reprieve from Terra's brutal attack; the remainder of the stones now barreled towards him, dropping straight down. In one swift movement Slade lashed his staff above his head, spinning it like a propeller. He finally moved the weapon to his side, gripping it tightly as the last of the projectiles skidded to a stop along the dusty floor.

Slade raised his head, bringing his eye into direct contact with those of his traitorous apprentice's. "See? Rudimentary."

Terra growled, clenching her fists so tightly that her fingers almost drove themselves through her gloves. "Stop taking me so lightly! You trained me; you of all people should know what I can do!"

"Of course, dear apprentice." Slade responded. "I know exactly what you can do. That is exactly _why_ I take you lightly."

"Bastard!" Terra exclaimed, thrusting her arm forward. The ground before her so-called master exploded, sending a line of dust straight for him. Slade was knocked backwards, swept into the far wall by the surge of dirt.

Now the Earth-mover pulled her arms backwards, and that same wall began to crumble. The dust from her first attack had not yet settled as it was swallowed up by the falling stone above it. Terra heaved a small sigh of satisfaction as she stared at the piles of rock burying Slade.

However, her face quickly dropped as those rocks were sent soaring by a deafening explosion. A demonic shadow stepped through the dust, his costume ripped and torn but his expression unchanged. Foregoing even a taunt, Slade simply chuckled.

The rock Terra had elevated herself upon lurched backwards, affected by the sudden surge of fear coursing through her veins. Sweat pouring down her body, the frustrated ex-Titan was swept up in her own blinding aura. The rocks displaced by Slade's explosion levitated into the air, again soaring towards the fiend.

Slade tightened the grip he held on his weapon, jamming the bo-staff into the ground like a pole vaulter. The villain propelled himself far into the air, soaring upside-down as the staff extended itself beneath him. The rocks finally hit home, shattering the base of the staff. However, by this time Slade already had his bearings.

Flipping horizontally, the nearly-indestructible weapon again stretched until it hit the wall. As the staff reached its limit Terra was horrified to see that it had already propelled Slade across the room—and straight at her! It was time to flee; however, that action had been halted almost before she thought it by a single explosive disk. The floating stone beneath Terra was blown to bits, leaving the girl in a dizzying free fall.

Beneath her was the hard ground. Zooming towards her was Slade. Neither option was very appealing, but then again Terra wasn't the type of girl to let either overtake her anyway.

As she was battered by the remnants of her former ride, two of the larger pebbles quickly fell under Terra's control. They zoomed beneath her hands, and she clung on for dear life. The stones held steady as her body fell below it; a searing pain ripped through her shoulder blades as she hung.

Fortunately, not even that pain distracted her from her opponent. Slade's staff had returned to its normal length; his vaults with it had put him on a collision course with his former apprentice.

_Damn his calculating mind!_ Terra thought as she twisted her body. She span the rocks in a loop-de-loop path, using their force to flip herself upside-down. The maneuver pushed her foot straight into Slade's chin. Blood flew from the vent in the madman's mask as his head snapped backwards.

That was why Terra was so surprised when Slade immediately retaliated; though still reeling from her attack, the terrorist managed to knock the rocks right out of Terra's hands with one circular swing of his staff.

However, the Earth-mover was able to once again enlist the assistance of those same stones, and Slade quickly found himself unarmed as well. Both rocks and the staff hit the ground with a clunk as their owners fell towards their location.

"Well, Slade, this is where you'll regret teaching me in the martial arts as well!" Terra taunted, swinging into a kick. Her momentum easily pushed her into Slade's reach, but he simply knocked it aside with his forearm. He returned with a right straight, but his target managed to grab his arm, pulling herself in close. Terra's fist, instead, was the one planted into a face.

However, her balled fist sat coldly in a strangely unaffected face.

"My child," Slade cooed, "This sort of fighting is not your forte." She gasped, reeling backwards and leaving a trail of spewed blood in her wake. The imprint of Slade's foot was still firmly indented in her stomach.

"Your hits are far too weak." Slade continued as they plummeted ever closer to the ground. "I taught you a little of the martial arts as a last resort, that is true, but you must remember...last resorts are useless against someone such as myself!"

Terra reeled backwards, the effect of such words buffeted by the pain already dealt to her. As her arms soared above her head, it would seem an indication that she was slipping into unconsciousness. Instead, the motion was followed by a pillar of rock hitting Slade square in the stomach, growing from the ground and carrying the villainous man straight towards the ceiling.

Meanwhile, a small whirlwind of dust whipped around Terra. The Earth-mover regained her bearings as the dirty storm slowed her descent. She hit the ground expertly, with her feet spread out and one hand slapping the floor before her. Her long hair was draped over her face as she rose to a standing position once again, a smirk plastered across her face.

"How appropriate to be meet defeat right after one of your smart-ass narcissistic statements." Terra smiled. However, her glee was cut short as she wiped her golden locks from before her eyes, and the situation at hand was truly seen.

Before her stood Slade, a bit more battered but still unshaken, truly. A trail of dust still stirred down the side of her giant pillar—Slade must have rolled just in time and slid down the side!

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, my child," Slade began, "but I believe that _you're_ the smart-ass." The child in question took a step backwards. "Besides, narcissism is nothing but confidence when it is founded!"

The unshakable confidence of her opponent only terrified Terra more. However, it was time for her to turn her fear to power! "Enough!" she cried as clumps of dirt shot from the ground at Slade's feet. They attempted to ensnare his legs, but he deftly leapt above them, unleashing a handful of explosives.

Not even the former Titan's reflexes were fast enough to block the disks as they hit their target. Terra flew backwards, her skin charred and costume shredded from a direct hit. However, the tenacious young girl dug her feet into the stone beneath her, managing to push past the pain to see her opponent's next move. More of the deadly projectiles whizzed towards her.

This time Terra was prepared to counter-attack, and as Slade's weapons drew close they were intercepted by a large slab emerging from the ground. The slab was freed from its connection to the Earth by the weapons' detonations, providing the girl with a rather deadly projectile of her own.

Slade's next move was halted by a slight shiver of trepidation—was Slade actually feeling fear? With the swing of her arm the slab was sent hurling towards the madman, spinning on its side like a discus. Any apprehension on Slade's part seemed to disappear as he leapt mightily, stepping upon the edge of the spiraling stone so as to leap upon it.

However, it was not meant to be. This time, the apprentice took the upper-hand. With the snap of her wrist, the slab flipped positions again; no longer on its side, the stone now flew with its taller side facing forwards. Unfortunately for Slade, this left him the figurative fly on the windshield; the path of his jump was completely blocked by the face of the stone soaring straight towards him.

It became much more difficult for the slab to travel with so much mass resisting the wind, but that meant nothing to Terra. Her aura exploded before her into a luminescent beam of yellow, colliding with the projectile and relentlessly driving it into the far wall. It exploded in a blinding flash; Terra wouldn't even let the dust settle as she brushed it aside, eager to see the state of her so-called Master.

Slade stood, finally battered. His blood flowed to the ground—in places soaking through his thick suit, in others simply gushing through the holes torn from the same garment. His mask was cracked, barely managing to stay on his face. Slade was only on his feet because of the support provided by a pedestal.

"So, I guess this is the end." Terra smiled, brushing her hands together. "With you out of the way I can return to my home safely."

"Do—do you really think they'll trust you?" Slade asked, managing to maintain his composed speech despite his physical condition. "You have forever planted the seeds of doubt in their mind. Do you think even killing me can undo that, my child? Robin most of all will think it an elaborate ruse of mine." Terra's lip quivered. "There is no turning back! From here you are destined for destruction—everyone is your enemy!"

Clenching her jaw, Terra retaliated. "You're wrong! You don't know my friends like I do!" Then, as if the thought just hit her, her lips curved into a sadistic smile. "Besides, what good is the opinion of a dead-man anyway?"

"I'm not dead yet, my child." Slade reminded her. "If you believe you will be proven right with my demise, then quit talking and make it so!"

No words suited this situation: only action. Yellow hues shone around the teen, rallying the very Earth itself into action. The ground surrounding Slade fractured, lunging four razor-sharp jagged boulders towards the villain.

Then, as suddenly as they had moved the stones collapsed, completely losing their animation. Terra gasped, confused as to what could possibly have happened. Again she thrusted her hand forward, but the second the yellow energy surrounded the stones it just dissipated.

Slade chuckled softly, and in seconds it turned to full-fledged maniacal laughter. He pulled his body uneasily from the pedestal, holding his right arm into the air. A glistening red gem was held tightly between his fingers: Slade had again called upon the power of the Stone of Iso Toa.

"Your energy is now my energy, my child." Slade laughed. "I can simply absorb any energy that even gets close to me, making your abilities worthless. You can't lay a hand on me."

"Liar!" Terra cried, clenching her fists as the various debris littered across the cavern took to the air, hurling itself towards her so-called master. As they grew within several feet of the madman, they suddenly dropped to the ground.

The 'told-you-so' look shining in Slade's eye did nothing to deter Terra's frantic attack. With one final gesture the ex-Titan sent her aura blazing across the room; correspondingly, a mixture of dust, dirt and rock uprooted itself, rocketing straight towards Slade.

You could hear the maniacal genius's muscles stretching as he pulled himself completely upright, his arms hanging limply but his legs tensing. Then—literally out of nowhere—Slade exploded forward into an Olympic level dash. His charge went unabated; it was as if Slade had a force field around him as he speeded through the field of rubble. Any that drew even minutely close to him instantly fell to the ground, the energy animating it instantly drawn into Slade's magical gem.

Finally, the villain drew within striking distance. The ground beneath Terra trembled, but with the Iso Toa so close it was far too late for an escape. Slade's right arm thrusted forward, the gem held within poised to be much more then a brass knuckle. The girl's eyes closed tightly as she braced for impact, but the expected attack never landed. Terra opened her eyes to the sight of Slade's fist stopped only inches away from her face.

As soon as her eyes opened an intense burst of light unleashed itself from the Stone of Iso Toa, temporarily blinding the ex-Titan. Terra tumbled backwards, her legs finally buckling as she fell to her knees. Tears fell from her stinging eyes, making a sloshing sound as they hit the ground. However, these tears were not a product of the gem's attack; these were tears of regret, of pain, of absolute sorrow.

Even death would be better then again having to fight her friends. It would come before she ever again performed any of Slade's evil acts.

However, with her energy being drained—not to mention her handicapped vision—Terra couldn't even summon the strength to end her miserable life.

"You, my child, are nothing but a traitor." Slade's condescending glare cast itself upon the toppled Titan. "A traitor has no honor, has no spirit. You are not worthy of being my apprentice!"

Even as Slade was berating his traitorous apprentice, he was pulling a control panel from his belt. His imposing finger loomed above a button.

"However, your powers have always been far more worthy then you have." Slade's eyebrow suddenly arched into a fierce glare. "Besides, you made me a promise! My control in exchange for your power!"

Slade's finger pounded down on the button. Blue electricity crawled up Terra's body, and though you could see her face straining to resist, she slowly pulled herself onto her feet.

"So that's exactly what you're going to give me. My control over your powers."

_Pulling her arms back, the entire wall crumbled atop Slade. However, the Earth-mover's satisfaction didn't resonate across at least one of the spectators._

_With a small humph Ivan rose to his feet, pulling at the collar on his bulky tunic. He began to walk onto the battlefield until he was stopped by a familiar voice—his favorite voice._

_"Where are you going?" Mother asked. "You dislike where this battle is heading?"_

_"You chose Slade as your ally," Ivan began, "So I cannot sit idly by and watch him be killed, no matter how I feel towards him myself!"_

_Ian tapped the hilt of his weapon against the stone he was lying on, obviously amused. "Lighten up," he smiled, "It's not like we needed Slade for anything besides getting to this world." _

_Ivan moved his arm, prepared to reprimand his son, but again was cut-off by his superior. "You are absolutely correct." Both men turned in surprise. "Slade's purpose in this mission is over, but that doesn't mean he's done for. Slade will win this battle, and live to see the Great Power revived."_

_"Such an unworthy man." Ivan sighed. _

_"Indeed." Mother agreed. "A man who so flagrantly discredits love deserves none of this power! Indeed, he will see the errors of his way in due time. Until then, the charade continues."_

"Well done." Mother complimented, placing her withered hand upon Slade's shoulder. The madman looked back at the three Iso-jin; he had actually forgotten they were even here through all this chaos.

"Most certainly." Confirmed Ivan. "You had me worried for a while there though."

Suddenly they were overtaken by an undulating crimson wave. Mother chanted in an incomprehensible murmur, her healing energies instantly sealing the battle scars both Slade and Terra had acquired throughout their battle.

Then, as the rippling effects of her spell dissipated, she handed both combatants one of the energy-collecting crystals. Slade slipped it around his neck, and Terra followed—nearly identical in her donning of the device.

"Just what the hell did you do to her?" Ian asked, genuinely confused at Terra's loss of all aggression—hell, of all emotion altogether.

"I planted control devices into her nervous system the night she became my apprentice." Slade paused, waiting for the dumbfounded gawks of Ian and his father to subside. "Please, it was simply insurance after what my last apprentice did." Slade's fist subconsciously clenched at the mere mention of Robin's insubordinance. "Anyway, now that I've activated them, Terra is at my complete control."

"Therefore, the perfect tool for this mission." Mother said, a wry smile cracking across her wrinkled face. "Now is the time to set off and gather the energy for our great revival!"

Ian smiled as he walked to one of the tunnels that trailed from the cavern. "Yes, why wait for Roronoa Zoro to come to me?" he asked, snapping his fingers. Tashigi appeared around the corner; like Terra, she too was no longer acting under her own free will.

"Mother, I will serve you to the best of my capacity." Ivan declared, bowing before heading to another tunnel. As he walked there, he tucked Mother's crystal beneath the collar of his tunic. "Good luck on whatever challenges that are coming your way."

Finally, Slade turned his gaze to a third tunnel. Terra struggled for a second, but almost instantly her expression was wiped blank, and in a slow, monotonous walk she headed into the passageway.

Now Mother and Slade were alone, their minions headed on a mission to collect the energy of the Straw Hat Pirates and the Teen Titans.

"So," Slade inquired, "You really think they'll find their way here?"

"You know better than I that those kids are not stupid." replied Mother. "Some will find their way here, and that is where they will find their greatest challenge. Within two hours, the Great Power will be unrestrained!"

"RUBBER BALLOON!" cried Luffy, his inflated body nearly suffocating the Boy Wonder—but fortunately, also insulating Robin from the impact of the rocks tumbling from the ceiling.

The Titan crawled to his feet, rubbing his whirling head as Luffy spiraled through the limited tunnel space behind him, letting air slip through his lips as his body deflated.

However, despite the tumbling rubberman behind him, Robin could only think of one thing.

"How could Terra do this to us?" he asked himself, his head hanging uncharacteristically low. To the leader—to the boy who strived to keep the peace and unity flowing, to keep the Teen Titans together—Terra's betrayal hit especially hard.

"Do what?" Luffy asked, finally back to his normal form.

His companion's inquiry didn't meet kindly with Robin's agitated attitude. "What do you think? You were in the room too!"

"Oh yeah." Luffy closed his eyes for a second, pushing his straw hat up as he scratched his head. "Yeah, she did a good job stopping us from fighting Slade and the Iso-jin all at once."

Robin just blinked slowly. Sometimes, it took an empty mind to find a new perspective on something. Were Terra's actions simply to save their misery? After all, she was family. He couldn't believe that after all their time together she would still hold a grudge!

"Oi, I smell meat!" Luffy exclaimed, charging down the tunnel they found themselves stranded in.

"Wait up!" Robin cried, dashing with all his might to keep up with a hungry rubberman.

A mighty ball of green energy spiraled through the cave, widening the tunnel's width by several feet in all directions. As the last of the crumbling rocks were vaporized the ball dissipated, revealing Starfire, energy brimming from her hands and eyes.

"Do not worry, friends." she smiled cheerfully. "It is safe now."

Cyborg was in a ball on the floor, and as the mechanical man slowly rose it could be seen what he was protecting—Nami lay under him, shaking.

"That was close!" the navigator exclaimed, wiping dust from her tight skirt. "Without you guys I would have been done for!"

"Yes, it is fortunate we were able to stick together." Star replied.

"But what about Terra?" Cyborg asked. "I still can't believe this happened in the first place!"

Even Starfire's perpetually optimistic smile drooped.

The hopelessness of the situation was getting to Cyborg; he drove his fists together in anger. "I mean, is it some sort of mind control? A hologram?"

"No." Nami said, drawing gasps from both of her friends. "That was Terra, plain and simple. She made a mistake, and she's not sure how to fix it. She's scared."

"What do you mean?" The two Titans asked in unison.

Nami sighed; she had hoped to keep these memories buried. "That look on her face—I saw that face in the mirror every day for seven years. She's scared that we're not powerful enough to stop Slade—that she'll end up alone again, that her mistake will be her downfall."

_Just like Arlong,_ Nami thought. _I never thought Luffy had the strength to fight him._

Cyborg lowered his head; even his mechanical body could sense Nami's pain as well. "Well…how's it going to turn out then?"

"It all depends on Terra now." The pirate sighed. "She has to decide whether she has more fear of Slade, or more faith in her friends."

_Just like I had to learn to depend on the power of Luffy-san._

Rocks flew in all directions, propelled by vicious fields of darkness. Zoro stood idle, watching as Raven took her magic close to the level where she had exploded into anger only a day before. Finally, as the rubble ceased to fall, the witch moved to the ground.

"I could have handled that myself." Zoro grumbled. His complaint was met by a piercing stare from the Titan.

"Men." she growled, her teeth grinding slightly. Deciding to ignore the remark, Zoro turned to travel down the tunnel they now found themselves in. After taking a few steps, he noticed that Raven hadn't followed.

She still stood unwavering, her eyes reduced to arched slits.

"Something wrong?" Zoro asked, the tone of his voice indicating that he already knew exactly what was wrong. "You seem a bit upset."

Raven's scowl was directed in his direction. "I'm fine." she insisted. "My emotions are under control." However, no matter how much she insisted, the Titan was still visibly shaken. Raven couldn't even fool herself with that weak line.

Just as with the Iso-jin, Raven couldn't forgive herself for ever trusting Terra. However, this was even worse then their short alliance with those soldiers; Terra was family. Terra was a Titan!

Suddenly, Raven was snapped out of her trance as she felt two strong hands grip her shoulders. A tingle ran through the girl's body as her eyes followed the muscular arms up to Zoro's face.

"If you're so mad at Terra," Zoro began, "Maybe you should get us up to her and finish this now."

Raven gasped. How stupid she had been! Zoro was right, of course—besides Terra herself, nobody could get to her quicker!

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos!" Raven exclaimed. A bubble of black energy surrounded them, taking the shape of a raven as it floated into the air and through the stone above them. However, as it began its ascent into the rock ceiling it suddenly dissipated—shattered by a spark of red energy.

Both heroes fell to the ground, and Raven again growled angrily as she lay there. "Of course," she growled, "Slade's channeling the Iso Toa's aura throughout the structure's walls."

"And that means?" Zoro asked, offering the Titan his hand. Raven was about to explain, until she felt her hand immersed by the strong hand of Zoro. It took her breath away for a second.

Finally, she regained her bearings. "Remember when Ian attacked me when my anger went berserk? His sword nullified my powers; it's obviously a trait received from the Iso Toa!"

"Damn." the swordsman muttered, rubbing his head. "I guess we'll just walk then."

Zoro began his trek down the tunnel before them, followed quickly by Raven. _I'd follow him anywhere,_ she found herself thinking—much to her own surprise.

A smile crawled across the witch's face. Of all the emotions she had repressed, she'd never have thought that romance was the one she would be falling back into so quickly.

The sniper didn't move. A pile of rocks lay atop him, completely pinning him to the ground. It needn't matter anyway; Usopp's spirit hampered any further action much more than any physical obstacle.

"Terra…how…" Usopp just kept muttering the words that almost became a mantra after the revelation of her betrayal.

_How could she,_ he thought. _Without her, there's no way I can love anymore. Why would I keep going on?_

Suddenly, his thoughts were disrupted by a shower of shattered stone. It was quickly followed by a trail of smoke as Sanji walked into Usopp's line of vision, inhaling the deadly vapors as he took in the sights with a grim look.

Finally, he noticed Usopp. "Get up," Sanji commanded, "We've got work to do. It's time to rescue Nami-san, Star-kun and Terra-chan!" Hearts gushed from the cook's eyes.

Usopp just sighed. "Terra? You want to save her? What can _we_ do?" Looking at the ground dejectedly, he just closed his eyes. "Bury me here Sanji! Let me have a noble death!"

Suddenly—like a streak of black lightning—Sanji's leg ripped through the stones imprisoning Usopp.

"Nonsense." the cook growled, snatching up his crewmate by his collar. "Luffy would kill me if I didn't bring you back—Terra-chan as well."

The sniper's eyes grew wide. "Do you really think she can be saved—or that she even wants to be?"

Sanji just grinned as he tapped the ashes from his cigarette. "Rescuing damsels in distress is what I do best!"

The scene kept replaying itself in Beast Boy's mind. Over and over he saw Terra walk away, quite literally crossing that gap from good to evil. Over and over and over until he just wanted to bash his own head in.

"Wake up Beast Boy!"

With a frightened yelp the changeling leapt to his feet, aroused from his near-trance by the high-pitched yelp of Tony Tony Chopper.

"Are you okay?" the reindeer asked, holding a pack of bandages in his hooves.

Looking around the cavern, Beast Boy nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine…except for…"

Chopper interjected before his friend could continue the depressing statement. "Yeah…but we really need to get to the others too! We can't get separated, or we could end up like Sanji and Starfire back when Slade got them!"

"They'll be fine," Beast Boy shot back with a strange sense of both malice and despair—emotions never usually present in the jovial shapeshifter. "We just need to get to Terra—and free her from Slade!"

Chopper looked on with wide eyes as his friend started across the cavern. Did he truly think Terra could be saved—or was this all just denial? Either way, he wasn't going to let his heart-broken companion take on this challenge alone. Tony quickly dashed to the Titan's side.

"Not so fast!"

Both heroes turned to see one shadowy figure emerge from the darkness of the cavern—revealing himself to be Ivan.

"Mother's plans require your lives to end here," he droned, "So I cannot allow you to take another step!"

"You're just an old man!" Beast Boy smiled, a bit of the Titan's true nature returning to him. "What are you going to do, bore us to death with long stories? Blind us with liver spots?"

Ivan didn't take too kindly to joking in any way, shape or form—especially at his expense. The frown on his face just deepened, further accentuating his numerous wrinkles. "Neither. I will reduce you to ashes!"

Suddenly, both were shocked to see Chopper explode forwards in a blinding dash of speed, his reindeer point dashing wildly.

"Well, we have plans too!" Chopper exclaimed, reeling backwards onto a hind foot as he drew close to the Iso-jin. "I can't let you stop them either!" He quickly shifted to his human form, already lunging one massive hand toward the elder man's head.

As quickly as the assault had begun it ended, however, as Chopper was sent reeling across the room by a spark of red energy. Beast Boy couldn't believe his eyes as he saw the pirate's massive body embedded in the wall behind him.

However, the situation became even more ludicrous as his sites turned to Ivan. His entire tunic was glowing, and had taken the appearance of red stone—emulating the Stone of Iso Toa. Red energy flew from the collar, traveling down his arm and to his hand. Another band of stone surrounded it, red smoke still pouring from the unusual adornment.

"For that act of defiance, you will be the first to go!" Ivan exclaimed. "That attack sealed your fate!"

Next time: Ehedren—The Lean, Mean, Shapeshifting Double Team!


	18. Chapter 18

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 18: Ehedren—The Lean, Mean, Shapeshifting Double Team!**

Tony Tony Chopper fell from the impression his smoking body had made in the wall. His green companion, however, had his eyes set only upon the force that had sent him there.

"What the heck?" Beast Boy's eyes moved slowly up and down as he examined the strange weapon Ivan how held. The Iso-jin's tunic now glew red, its already bulky surface growing even larger as the clothing seemed to take on a stone-like texture—similar to that of the Stone of Iso Toa.

The old man lowered his arm, red energy still sparking as it surged from the tunic's shoulder to his wrist, where it formed a cuff made of the same stone as the tunic. "Don't you remember when Mother told you of the last fragments of the Great Power that she gathered?"

Ivan was met by a bewildered expression. "No, not really."

"Yes, you were no doubt distracted by Chiyu." His response elicited a growl from Beast Boy.

"No." Suddenly, the changeling's voice dropped. "Just Terra."

"I remember them." Chopper said, lumbering to his friend's side while still in his massive human form. "There was Ian's sword, Eehuah, and the boat, Ehever, right?"

For once, the old man actually smiled. "Indeed—finally, a smart one." He then proceeded to pat his chest. "Well, this tunic is the final relic of our Great Power—the armor, Ehedren!"

"Armor?" Beast Boy asked, his pointy ears perking a bit. "Ha, you're scared of us! You can't do anything but defend in that armor!"

Ivan's jaw clenched, but before he could even rebut that point Chopper spoke up. "But you saw what he did to me! That thing's got power!"

The Titan raised an eyebrow, whispering, "Of course I did! Haven't you ever heard of bluffing?"

"Oh, yeah!" Chopper exclaimed. "Like lying, right?"

Suddenly, both fighters were sent flying by another spark of red energy.

"Enough of you!" Ivan exclaimed, his face frightening enough to spook a ghost. "Mother needs you dead! The longer you talk the longer I keep her waiting!"

"Man, enough with the old hag already!" Beast Boy exclaimed, rubbing his head as he recovered from the Iso-jin's attack. "She's all you ever talk about!"

Ivan's jaw fell. "WHAT!"

However, if Beast Boy even realized the button of Ivan's he had just pressed, he didn't let on. "Anyway, I got somewhere to be too!" An image of Terra again flashed though his mind. "Hey, Chopper! Let's kick the old man's butt!"

"Got it!" Tony exclaimed, pulling a yellow orb from his backpack.

With a roar Beast Boy leapt forward, taking the form of a ferocious green tiger.

"RUMBLE!"

Crushing the Rumble Ball between his teeth, Chopper's muscular human point suddenly shrank down as he switched to his Jumping Point. The nimble reindeer legs pushed his aerodynamic body past Ivan. The Iso-jin's gaze followed the pirate, giving his teammate ample opportunity to attack.

The tiger pounced down at the old man, its claws tearing right into the Ehedren armor. However, instead of sending blood flying only the attacker was; Beast Boy resumed his human form as he flew backwards, skidding across the ground while cradling his hand, which throbbed red.

"Man, that armor's as hard as a rock!" Beast Boy raised an eyebrow as he gave the relic a second look. "Oh yeah, I guess that's the point."

Meanwhile, Ivan's stalwart gaze followed Chopper, all-the-while aiming his arm. "Crimson Nightmare!" Another cracking blast of energy flew from the band, but it never even got close to the doctor as Chopper's legs again tapped the ground, hurling the reindeer into an arcing jump. In almost an instant he was looming over the Iso-jin.

"Arm Point!" he exclaimed as his arms instantly bulked up—the muscles growing so large they nearly exploded. Those muscles drove one of his hooves towards his opponent's head. "Kokute Roseo!"

More energy flowed down Ivan's arm and to the band around his wrist. As more energy amassed in the glowing accessory, it grew in size, until it had become a giant, circular shield that covered the entire length of his arm.

One quick swipe of his arm put the shield between Chopper's hoof and any part of Ivan. "Security Gauntlet…Crush!" The Iso-jin's arm continued his sweep, and Tony was driven into the floor.

Energy now traveled down Ivan's other arm, forming a gauntlet identical to the first. Red electricity sparked from it as he held it above the reindeer's head.

"Leave him alone!" Before Ivan could even identify from where the demand came from, he was sent soaring by the charge of a giant green elephant. Without even a second's pause the elephant shrank into a raven, which spiraled towards the still-reeling Iso-jin.

However, Ivan's flight was put to an abrupt end as he was driven into the ground by the massive, spiked tail of a Stegosaurus. Beast Boy's extinct form then shrunk to that of a gorilla's as it hit the ground, settling its gargantuan grip around the Iso-jin's head as he lifted him from the floor.

However, as the gorilla's super-human hands moved to crush his opponent's skull, the attempt was halted by a blinding red light. Realizing this couldn't be good, Beast Boy again tried the same attack; however, this time even the gorilla's grip wouldn't budge.

Ivan's head was now covered by a knight's headplate, and it was just as invulnerable as the rest of Ehedren.

"You fool!" Beast Boy now felt the palm of Ivan's hand resting upon his primate chest. "Those who dare to insult our great Mother will feel the full wrath of my invincible armor!" With a flash the Teen Titan found himself in the wall, back in his human form and spewing more smoke than Sanji.

Ivan let his expression of disdain rest upon the fallen hero for a few more seconds before turning away. "Now where's that other damned animal?" he asked, his voice still echoing from behind his crimson defense.

"Right over here!" The Iso-jin turned to see Chopper—still in his Arm Point—charging straight at him. "And I'm not going to let you get away with any more of this!"

"Nonsense." Ivan simply stated, moving his shield before the pirate's path. "Besides the will of Mother, I trust in nothing more than the fact that this armor will never let me down!"

"Horn Point!" Ivan's rant was cut off by one set of six-foot antlers, which easily brushed aside the Security Gauntlet. The other set of antlers drove itself into the soldier's face, and the reindeer sporting them continued his charge as he plowed his opponent into the very same wall Beast Boy had just fell from moments before.

Chopper's eyebrows narrowed fiercely. "Then your trust is misguided! Even if I can't get through that armor, I'll drive you through this wall and into the ocean if I have to!"

However, before Tony Tony Chopper could follow through with his threat, he was stopped in his tracks by the sights of Ivan's entire armor glowing.

"Crimson Burst!"

The red flash surged through the air for only an instant, but that instant was enough to completely immerse Chopper in a ball of energy, knocking him back to where they had started. As the energy dispersed, Ivan was surprised to find his opponent still conscious; Tony had quickly switched to his Guard Point, and was now shrouded in a ball of steel-like fur.

Still, the pirate's resilience did nothing to scare Ivan. "Drive me into the ocean? You should know that a user of the Devil's Fruit cannot survive in the ocean! You'd be killing yourself along with me!"

"Shows how much you know." Chopper declared, growing back into his human form. "_I_ know Beast Boy would come to save me, if it came to that!"

Ivan just snickered. "And you called my trust misguided? Where is your friend?"

"Here!" Beast Boy leapt over the Iso-jin's head, landing before him in a dashing pose. Sticking around just long enough to flash his trademark smile, he then drove the curled horns of a mountain goat into Ivan's chest. His powerful hind legs kept leaping forward, headbutting relentlessly.

_Here's my chance!_ Chopper thought, again using his Jumping Point to leap above his opponent's head. "Brain Point!" The doctor's body suddenly shrank back to its true form, but with the power of the Rumble Ball his freakish body was far from "normal". This Brain Point sported highly increased intelligence—and more importantly, his most vital skill.

"If I find the Ehedren's weakness, then you'll be finished!" Chopper put his two tiny hooves together, looking though the gap they created. "Scope!"

In the doctor's field of vision, a full-scale radar diagram popped to life around the soldier—whose interest had been aroused by his opponent's statement.

"Find my weakness, eh?" As Beast Boy's assault again sent him skidding, he quickly dug his feet into the stone beneath him. With a mighty scream he wound his arm, slamming his giant shield atop the charging goat. "Well, I can't let that happen, can I?"

In another flash, the Ehedren had completely swallowed up Ivan's body, coating every inch of him with the stone armor.

"Crimson Geyser!"

Chopper gasped as the image in his scope was suddenly obscured by a growing pillar of red. That same geyser collided with the reindeer, making him nothing but a steaming pile of fur and completely piercing the ceiling.

Then the armor surrounding Ivan's legs and arms retreated, reverting to red energy before crawling back to the tunic from whence it came.

Having been knocked back to his human shape, Beast Boy now smiled. "Makes sense," he whispered to himself, "That armor has no joints. He can't move, so he has to keep his legs and arms uncovered—except for when he channels a lot of power, like with that attack!"

Suddenly—with faith renewed—the green shapeshifter charged forward. "So I just have to go for the legs!" Hearing his opponent's plans, Ivan unleashed another crimson blast, but Beast Boy shrank beneath it, coiling his new rattlesnake body and launching himself like a spring.

However, with his long range defenses penetrated Ivan simply switched to close-range. Twisting his left arm, the cuff adorning it quickly grew into another Security Gauntlet.

"Security Gauntlet…Cymbal!" Swiping both his arms together, Beast Boy now found himself crushed between the two stone shields!

Unfortunately, the Iso-jin's attack didn't end here. Both gauntlets now dissolved back into the energy they were forged from; Ivan pulled his arms away, both adorned with the original, small cuffs. The energy still immersed Beast Boy, trapping him within a translucent ball of crimson power.

Ivan chuckled, taking his time as he pointed one arm forward. "Crimson Cannonball."

With a booming noise the ball shot forward, carrying Beast Boy into the far wall—where the attack promptly exploded. The changeling collapsed to the floor, gasping for air as smoke billowed around him.

"Sheesh, old men aren't supposed to be this tough!" he managed to joke as his spindly green arms finally pushed him back onto his feet. "Getting my butt kicked by a grandpa is embarrassing!"

"Really? He's a grandpa?" As the smoke cleared, the Titan could see Chopper standing beside him, just as hurt from the assaults. "I didn't know Ian had a child!"

Beast Boy collapsed, but then laughed as he again picked himself up. "No, no…he's just really old—like, dinosaur old!" The hero's expression then drooped. "But he's still really tough. Chopper, you got any ideas?"

"If I could find the Ehedren's weakness I know we could beat him, but," Chopper sighed, moving his gaze too towards the ground, "My Rumble ball already wore off, and I only have two left! With the way he's fighting, I don't think six minutes will be enough for me to get a clear view with my Scope!"

However, out of a hopeless situation inspiration struck. Beast Boy's eyes lit up as he exclaimed, "Then this is the perfect time! Chopper, the plan!"

"A plan?" Both heroes quickly turned to find Ivan again ready to fight, having intruded through the smoke he had aroused. "Tell me green one, is this another bluff?"

"Oh, you'll be wishing this was a bluff soon enough! Chopper, Operation Decoy!"

The instant the words left Beast Boy's mouth he was in the air, using the superhuman legs of a gazelle to propel himself. In mid-air he again changed shape, taking on the body of an Octopus. Ivan moved his aim towards the soaring changeling, but it did little good as the Titan wrapped his tentacles around the Iso-jin's head, his body completely obscuring the slits in Ehedren's headplate.

Tony Tony Chopper, meanwhile, tossed his backpack to the wall behind him. In one hoof he held his second Rumble ball, while in the other rested a strange green can. "RUMBLE!"

"Get off me you ingrate!" cried Ivan, but the Octopus's natural adhesion kept him firmly in place. A smile passed across Beast Boy's face—as much of a smile as an octopus could muster, at least—as ink spurted from his body. The black liquid not only covered Ehedren's headplate in seconds, but just as easily spurted through the slits and immersed Ivan's face as well.

The Iso-jin stumbled backwards, his enraged cries growing louder. However, his flailing finally stopped as his anger peaked. "Enough!" he cried; Ehedren's headplate reverted to energy, blowing Beast Boy away as it exploded. With his head again exposed, Ivan proceeded to wipe the ink away.

The Titan's distraction hadn't left enough time for Chopper's Scope to work, but as Ivan finally regained his sight he realized that hadn't been the objective of Operation Decoy at all.

"What the…"

_As the doctor slipped his medicine back inside the backpack, Beast Boy sighed and put his arm around the pirate. "I know how you feel buddy. How many green animal-boys have you seen?" Chopper's eyes grew wide; he'd never thought of it that way! "Just remember; with your companions and me around you're never alone! And also—"_

_Beast Boy's body shrunk in a green blur. In only a second he was eye-level with the awe-stricken Tony Tony Chopper. _

_"You're not a one-of-a-kind-freak."_

_Chopper couldn't believe it! The Teen Titan had transformed into a flawless imitation of Chopper—well, flawless if you ignored the green fur. "Wow, if I spray painted myself we could pass as twins!" the reindeer exclaimed._

_"That's an awesome idea!" Beast Boy exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "We have to try that sometime! It might even be better than the old hand in the water trick!"_

"What the hell!"

Before the astounded Iso-jin stood—not one green Titan and one reindeer pirate—but two identical versions of Tony Tony Chopper, _both_ of them green. Lying next to the discarded backpack was one can of green spray paint.

Ivan's eyes were wide in fright—an expression they had taken only a few times in their entire life. "T-there's two of you?"

"Exactly!" The first Chopper said, clenching the massive fist of his human point. "You have no clue which one of us is the real Chopper—and thus, which one of us can find your weakness!"

The second Chopper smiled. "And if you can't tell who's who, how can you stop the right one in time?" His grin growing even larger, the reindeer pumped his arm into the air. "It took a lot of work to memorize all of Chopper's transformations, but it sure is worth it now!"

"Ah-hah!" Ivan laughed. "Good idea, but you just blew it!"

That same Chopper sighed for a second, before again lighting up. "Are you so sure! I might just be acting like Beast Boy to fool you! I might just really be Chopper!"

"But you can't be Chopper! I am!" The first Tony exclaimed. A hushed silence fell over the "twins" before he gasped, realizing just what he had done.

"Such silly children." The Iso-jin sighed, crossing his arms. "It needn't matter anyway. No matter what you plan or who you are, there's no way to defeat Ehedren!"

"Blah blah." The second Chopper—who had now been identified as Beast Boy—made the motions of a talking mouth with his hand. "I know you're an old dog, but you need to learn some new tricks! Chopper, let's mix him up!"

With a nod, both Choppers shrank to Jumping Point and performed a back flip; pushing their hooves off of their friend's back, they were propelled to opposite walls. Ivan kept his eyes locked on the true Chopper—whose Scope was the only threat in this entire battle—but things soon became quite hard to follow.

Both fighters leapt to opposite walls, and as their powerful legs touched against them, they again launched towards each other. The two Choppers soared past each other, bouncing against the same wall their counterpart had just moments before. Again they met in the middle of the room, this time linking their arms and going into a dizzying spin instead of continuing their flights.

The spin slowly descended the blurred reindeers to the ground, and as their momentum finally ran out, they both touched the ground. The unparalled strength of Jumping Point's legs propelled the two forward, while the saved momentum of the previous spin kept them whirling in circles towards the shocked Iso-jin.

_Damn!_ Ivan thought as the assault drew closer. _Not only did their little acrobatics show let them swap places so quickly that I lost track of which one was which, but they used its momentum to supercharge their attacks!_

With less then six feet between the three—and the distance rapidly closing—both Choppers switched to Arm Point, further boosting the next attack's force.

"Kokute Roseo Kachuu!"

However, while wearing the ultimate armor Ehedren Ivan wasn't going to let himself be harmed!

"Defensive Eclipse!" cried the Iso-jin as his armor responded with another flash of red. For the second time in the battle Ivan had hidden behind a full-body shield of enforced crimson rock. Two hooves—their power backed not only by Arm Point's massive muscle size, but also by the twisting reindeer to whom they were attached—connected with the relic; just the force of the impact shattered the stone beneath them.

The twin Choppers landed easily, most of their inertia passed to the target. Though unharmed, Ivan was hurled—not into—but through the far wall, which had finally given out after receiving so many attacks.

Ivan was now in a smaller, darker cavern, but he didn't remain there for long. The identical shapeshifters had taken their reindeer shapes, dashing in for another attack. While some of Ehedren again retreated to allow movement, a new plate formed around the Iso-jin's feet.

"Tremor Dash!" Crimson energy exploded from the old man's feet, propelling him through the hole his very body had created only moments before and straight into the reindeer.

However both heroes held on valiantly, digging the massive feet of their human forms into the stone. As the flights of the three combatants came to an end, the improved speed of Ehedren's newest upgrade allowed Ivan the first hit; another Security Gauntlet formed on his arm, and he bashed one of the Choppers into the ground like he was smashing a fly.

Unfortunately for Ivan, before the attack was even over he was heard screaming for his life as the other Chopper—in tiny Brain Point—hung from his exposed arm; the pirate's impressive teeth were sunk deep into the old man's flesh.

"Way to go buddy!" As Ivan's sight drifted below him to the source of the congratulations, he would regret attacking that reindeer. The fallen shapeshifter now sprang from where he had been knocked beneath the Iso-jin, arm winding dangerously.

Had the eclipse not reformed Ivan's headplate, the Arm Point uppercut probably would have snapped his neck. As it was, the intimidating attack sent the soldier soaring towards the roof. The second Chopper finally abandoned his perch on the victim's arm, instead flinging himself above Ivan.

Instantly switching to Human Point, the Chopper drove both fists into the Iso-jin's stone-clad back, piledriving him back to the ground.

Ivan moaned as he pulled himself back onto his feet. "Thank goodness for Ehedren—once again Mother's gift has protected me." Suddenly he heard the pattering noise of feet charging, and looked up to see one of the Choppers charging.

"Stop wasting my time!" the Iso-jin cried, snapping his arm forward to fire a powerful blast. However, the limb was knocked aside by a giant set of antlers, but if Chopper thought he had gained the advantage he was sorely mistaken.

With his other hand Ivan took a firm grip on the trophies-in-making. In a red flash his energy shot through them, zapping the reindeer with the full-force of his Crimson Nightmare. With a gasp the hero retracted to Guard Point, but this was perhaps a worse move in itself; with Ivan's hold still on the antlers, he just drew himself in closer!

Realizing his advantage Ivan snickered, increasing the force of his attack and sending the Chopper reeling. However, in mid-air the fighter switched to Arm Point, flipping and landing in a fighting pose.

"Even if you're winning, even if I don't stand a chance, I won't give up!" he declared. "I don't know why you're fighting us, but you picked the wrong day to stand in our way!"

The old man smiled, amused by his opponent's feeble attempt at confidence. Tapping his knuckles against on his chest, he began, "Boast all you like, it hasn't made a difference so far. Why don't you make me believe those words!"

Answering with a nod, the Chopper charged forward.

"Crimson…"

"Kocootie…"

The Chopper suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring at his own bulked arm. "Wait a second, that's not right, is it?"

"Don't worry, BB!" With a gasp Ivan turned to see Tony Tony Chopper standing behind him, in his dangerous Brain Point. He lowered his hooves, slowly growing into Jumping Point. "It doesn't matter now that I've finally got his weakness!"

With a laugh the confused Chopper shrank into its true body—returning to Beast Boy's human form.

"I was getting bored with just those seven transformations anyway." he joked.

However, Ivan was anything but bored—he was beyond even frustrated. He was furious.

"That's it!" he exclaimed, thrusting his hands in opposite directions, with both teammates in his sights. "Your futile endeavors will end here! You'll play me for a fool no longer!"

"Chopper, whatever you need to do, do it fast!" the changeling commanded just before taking a bird's shape and soaring above a sparking blast. In mid-air, however, he shifted to the form of an anaconda—before Ivan could even react, he was constricting the old man's legs.

"Just as with the horns, that's not very smart!" Ivan cried as energy sparked down his legs, sending a powerful current through the king of snakes.

"No, it's not smart to mess with my friends!" Chopper exclaimed, soaring above the Iso-jin. "Leave him alone!"

Ivan's eyebrows slit low. "This is getting old! This will be the blow that finishes you: the Ultimate attack of Ehedren, the ultimate display of Mother's power and my faith in her!"

The gauntlet on his left arm reverted to energy, which instantly began sizzling and circling his arm. Energy quickly expelled on his other arm, doing the same. Chopper's eyes shot open wide at the sight. "Crimson…" Suddenly, he clapped his hands together. "…DAMNATION!"

Deadly red flames filled the air, soaring towards the reindeer. Without even a second's hesitation he shifted to his human form, using its greater weight to fall to the ground, and then to his tiny Brain Point.

The flames of Crimson Damnation tore into the wall, completely searing through it. Finally the attack subsided, and Ivan released a long-pent breath.

However, his relief was suddenly cut short as Chopper got back to his feet, wiping the only effects of the attack—a small ember—from his blue nose. "You can't do that again, can you? At least not before I can stop you!"

With an agitated roar Ivan decided to prove that wrong, again throwing his arms backwards as energy amassed around them.

Chopper, meanwhile, charged forwards, taking Human Form as he grabbed both of Ivan's exposed biceps with his massive hands. The energy from his attack now flowed through the doctor instead—that doctor, meanwhile, swung his body like a monkey, resting his feet against the stone at the top of the Ehedren's tunic.

Ivan actually looked scared. "W-What are you doing?"

"That crystal contains Ehedren's power granted by the Stone of Iso Toa—and controlled by you!" Chopper said, his speech slurred somewhat by the energy flowing through his body. "I've created a circuit, looping the energy from your attack back into the crystal instead of to the appropriate part of the armor! If you keep sending energy to it, it'll overload!"

"Nonsense!" Ivan declared. "You—you're trying to scare me!"

Chopper just shook his head. "Not only did my Scope find this weakness of Ehedren, but if found yours as well!" As soon as Tony's declaration left his mouth, a spark of red energy flew from the crystal. All the energy flowing from Ehedren suddenly ceased, and Chopper fell backwards—finally free. The green anaconda working to restrain the Iso-jin too was released, reverting to his human shape.

"That's your pride." Tony Tony Chopper sighed, rising to his feet. "You'd never let yourself admit that your armor has a fault—that your Mother could be wrong!"

Ivan's jaw hung almost to the ground as he stared at the warrior who had just shorted his invincible armor. His arms—as if taking on a mind of their own—felt feebly up and down his tunic, searching for a sign of life.

"That'll teach ya, you cocky old geezer." Beast Boy laughed. "Chopper, finish it!"

"Right!" Chopper's chest shrank and his jaw slackened as he shifted to Arm Point. Focusing his arms forward, his human hands morphed to tough hooves as the muscles in his arms bulged to outrageous proportions. He held his wrists together, positioning his two hooves in a 'X' shape. Ivan had no time to react as he shot forward in a blinding flash of spraypainted-green fur.

"Kokute Cross!"

Chopper now stood in the same position behind the Iso-jin, smoke pouring from both figures. With a blinding flash the crystal exploded, and in the time it took for Ivan to collapse to the ground his entire tunic—and all other remnants of Ehedren—had dissolved.

The doctor too shrank back to his Brain Point, having diminished all the power of his Rumble Ball.

"You did it!" Beast Boy exclaimed, lifting the tiny creature into the air and spinning him. "You were amazing!"

"Thanks!" Chopper returned, "But I couldn't have done it without your plan and your acting skills!"

The Titan looked puzzled. "But I thought my acting skills did more harm then good."

"Really?" The reindeer looked genuinely confused. "I sure fell for it!"

Beast Boy flashed a vain smile. "Of course, that was the plan!" Of course, he was also lying through his pointed little teeth.

"…y…you…"

Both heroes turned, returning to their battle-faces in only mere moments. Ivan had somehow made it back to his feet, smoke still pouring from his body. With his tunic gone, a physique quite different than what Beast Boy's insults would suggest was revealed—with focus instantly drawn to a set of six-pack abs.

"…y…you…destroyed…Mother's armor…"

Suddenly, something snapped in the Iso-jin. He disappeared, rock exploding as he drove himself to an insane speed.

Beast Boy had never felt something so strong—just the recoil sent him reeling uncontrollably into a wall. Wiping blood from his lip, the Titan searched frantically for his companion.

He found him unconscious, doubled over his own backpack. Chopper's medicines were scattered around him for a few feet, including that final, precious Rumble Ball.

However, the stranger sight was Ivan. He stood before the fallen Straw Hat, staring solemnly at the unconscious body. While his left arm looked no different from before, his right arm had increased size four-fold, perhaps bulking to sizes greater then that of Chopper's Arm Point.

"You thought Ehedren was my only strength?" he asked, his gaze still on the contemptible figure who had destroyed his precious armor. "Think again! That was a gift from Mother to restrain my true, deadly power! You've only made me stronger!"

Suddenly Ivan turned, his body shuddering as he lay his sites upon the green child. "You've destroyed Mother's gift! You've forced me to return to my former state!" His fist suddenly clenched as he set his sights upon his only remaining opponent.

"For these crimes you will pay dearly! Your life is mine!"

Next Time: Rumble!—The Perfect Union?


	19. Chapter 19

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 19: Rumble!—The Perfect Union**

Beast Boy's chest moved quickly, the shapeshifter taking rapid breaths as he tried to calm himself. The situation confronting him—to put it in the Titan's language—was blowing his mind. Ivan was an old man, dangerous only for his armor, right? He had thought so, but the unconscious body of Chopper said otherwise.

'_He didn't do anything to deserve this!'_ Beast Boy thought, his eyes watering at the sight of his fallen comrade. He growled as he remembered that reindeer's valiant actions. Tony Tony Chopper had launched the first attack upon Ivan, declaring that they had places to be, all to help him reach Terra!

_'Chopper only wanted to help me! He ran into danger just because of me!'_ Beast Boy's green fist clenched. _'And of course, there's still Terra! I can't let either of them down!'_ The shapeshifter's other hand followed suit, and his body tensed as his eyes finally met Ivan's.

"Old man! You're going down!"

Ivan chuckled, finally seeming to have regained some of his sanity.

"Boy, you stand no chance." He clenched his fist as well, raising his arm. "Mother gave me Ehedren to suppress my true power! You've destroyed that gift—" His eyes suddenly became wider than saucers, his face coming alive with rage. "—leaving me no choice but to decimate you with that same power!"

The Teen Titan was already dashing forward, his fangs glinting. "I don't care what freaky power you use to fight me, or why! You won't hold us back anymore!"

"Freaky power?" Ivan too dashed forward, his charge now being met by a green rhino as his opponent changed shape. "The power of the Suji Suji Fruit is a curse—to the victim and the user!" Tears streamed behind him as the muscles in his outstretched arm began growing. He hadn't used his powers in years, and the destruction of Ehedren made it impossible to hold the memories back.

_"Hey, get back here!" the shopkeeper yelled, abandoning his apron as he rounded the corner. However, the rotund businessman was no match for the thief. Even with a barrel of fruit beneath each arm, the tiny boy had the speed of a god. The older man continued his chase, but within minutes the boy was gone—along with his profits._

_Collapsing against the wall, the shopkeeper sighed. "Damn! It's the third time this month—and this time he got away with my 'special fruit!'" Finally regaining his breath, the man started the trek back to his stand; in the time spent chasing the thief, who knew what might have happened to his unattended business?_

_"It didn't used to be this way." He lamented. "This island is going to Hell."_

_Slipping through a small door, the thief slid down a steep dirt wall and to the floor. He was in a dimly lit basement beneath a rickety shack; this was the place he called home. The walls were lined with barrels, many empty but some still lined with various fruits._

_Finally dropping his newest barrels, the boy collapsed onto a chair—besides it, a table was the only furnishing in the room. His body was gaunt, and his sweat-stained shirt hung from his arm as he wiped the perspiration from his forehead and shaggy brown hair._

_"The old man's getting faster." He sighed. "I need to start hitting up different stands—not that there's many more to hit. Who can afford fruit these days?" He started to root through the fruit he had pilfered, finding the usual apples, bananas and the like. "I guess selling this stuff cheap is a living when we get it for free…but…"_

_Suddenly, his thought was interrupted as he noticed a strange fruit in the barrel. It was small and round, covered with various patterns. However, its strangest trait was that it was purple._

_"This is different!" the boy exclaimed, pulling the fruit from the barrel. He passed it between his hands a few times, his bright eyes following the tempting fruit the entire time. "I wonder what it tastes like?"_

_ Quickly the boy turned, scanning the room a few times before making his decision. Slowly he took a bite of the fruit, sinking his teeth into the soft pulp. He was so hungry that he had swallowed the entire bite before the taste even registered._

_"GAAH! This tastes like shit!" the boy cried, dropping the fruit. He began coughing, trying to get the foul taste out of his mouth._

_"Ivan? You're back?"_

_The boy stopped, suddenly motionless. That voice calling his name wasn't good—not now anyway. In an instant he had swiped up the remains of the fruit, trying to find a place to hide it._

_However, in this sparse room that task proved to be quite impossible. Before Ivan could come to a solution, his father had already arrived downstairs. In contrast to his son, Ike was a large, strong man. Weathered flannel and denim covered his body, and his jet-black hair was slicked back. His chiseled face was one the ladies swooned over, as much for its attractiveness as for the rugged feeling it gave. Indeed, you could tell Ike was a tough man on first glance._

_His eyes glistened at the sight of his son's haul. "Nicely done Ivan! Looks like my little thief is as fast as e…" Unfortunately, Ike's good mood vanished as he noticed the half-eaten fruit in his frightened son's hand._

_The fruit fell to the floor as Ivan found his wrist caught in the vice-like grip of his father. The boy couldn't believe the look of pure, unadulterated rage on the elder man's face._

_"I'm sorry!" Ivan cried, tears erupting as he felt the blood being cut off from his hand. "It was just one fruit! I didn't think it would matter! It won't make me too fat to be a thief! Please, I'm sorry!"_

_Ike only bit his lip, starting at his scrawny son. He kept the boy this way so he could perform his job. He was perfect for getting out of sticky situations. Still, Ivan was right. One fruit didn't matter. Not usually, at least._

_"Do you have any idea what sort of fruit that was!" he exclaimed, eliciting a frightened cry of no from his son. "That was a Devil's Fruit! The money I could have gotten for that thing would have set us free!_

_"This island is going to Hell, son! The gangs are getting worse every day! How much longer do you think we can keep doing this before they come after us? We're taking their business! That fruit could have gotten us out of here…there might never be another chance like this one!"_

_Ivan grunted in pain as he was thrown into the table, and barely had a moment to process his situation as his father again came toward him, his hand in a fist. Ike's teeth were clenched so hard you would think that they'd snap. He had to get away from this horrible place! He couldn't let Ivan think he could do whatever he wanted! This place was too harsh; one bad decision had cost them their freedom!_

_However, something new came to life inside of the boy. No matter how manipulative his father had been, he had believed in his cause, but this was too far! Ivan did all the work in this partnership, and it was time he received credit! He wasn't going to take this anymore!_

_In one quick swing of his arm Ivan had knocked away his father's fist. Ike stopped in his tracks, his vengeful expression changed to one of shock as he saw his son's bulked arm. The boy, meanwhile, had acquired the previous rage of his father as he lunged forward, the muscles in his other arm expanding as well as his fingers wrapped around Ike's windpipe._

_Ike gasped desperately for breath as he was lifted into the air. He struggled to get loose, but Ivan's prodigious grip could not be escaped. Pleas for mercy died in his throat._

_Finally the boy tossed his father to the ground. "Looks like a Devil's Fruit is useful for more than money, eh Dad?" Ivan remarked disdainfully._

_However, he never answered. The boy's face started to soften as he noticed Ike's neck—or what was left of it, at least. His gaze turned to his hands, which were covered in the spilt blood of his father._

_"NO!" he cried, pounding his fists into the ground. The floor shattered around him, and his tears fell to the fractured pavement like a rainstorm. As Ivan continued to sob the muscles in his arm shrank, returning to normal._

_"This power…" he whispered, staring at his arms in amazement. For a second the tears stopped, but then he wailed again, tears spurting in all directions. "This isn't a power! This…this is a curse! This…this killed my dad!"_

_Then the boy collapsed, his energy exhausted by the trauma._

_Several years passed, and faster then ever Ianoa Island was becoming that Hell everybody knew it would be. While crime had been predominant since the great disaster, the criminal underworld had now become organized and several gangs had the island at their mercy._

_Two of those groups were now in a showdown, members of both groups charging brutally. Fists struck, knives clashed, and gunshots were fired. Blood filled the air, staining the streets as bodies tumbled._

_A punk in red gasped as his buddy collapsed in a pool of his own blood. His side was losing, and losing bad! He whipped out his pistol, the murderer of his friend in sight, but it was never fired. He gasped pitifully as he fell to the ground, a wound gaping in his back. _

_Behind him a criminal in blue snickered, holding a blood-stained knife. However, his laugh was cut off as his head was sent flying. The body tumbled beneath a bloody hand, attached to a muscle-bound body. The figure was clad only in red pants, with shaggy brown hair that nearly covered his face completely. He held no weapons—Ivan the human weapon didn't need one. _

_More blue-clad gangsters charged for him, but he received the assault with only a smile. "Suji Suji Maximum!" he cried as he crouched low, crossing his arms. Every muscle in his body grew to epic proportions, nearly doubling the teen's size._

_With a blood-curdling scream Ivan threw his arms to the side; the force of the attack blew away the mob around him without even landing a hit. His feet clenched into the concrete beneath him, and the ridiculous power of his calves propelled him faster then the eye could see. _

_As the opposing gang was left clueless, Ivan appeared behind them—one swing of his arm decapitated an entire row. He grabbed one body, hurling it forward with the force of bazooka fire. It tore through the bodies of its former gangmates, downing at least a dozen more punks._

_He heard guns cocking behind him, but they were no match for his power. Almost instantaneously his hands had torn into the ground, pulling a slab of asphalt before him as a shield. It stopped the bullets in their tracks, and made a wonderful projectile as it decimated the gunmen._

_In a matter of minutes Ivan had single-handedly destroyed the rival gang, much to the surprised faces of his allies. All of them had heard the stories, but few had seen this human militia in action before._

_Ivan, meanwhile, just stared at his handiwork, emotion absent from his eyes. "Little bastards." He growled._

_"Ivan! Fantastic job!"_

_Back at his gang's headquarters, a man leapt down from his throne. He had a red eyepatch over his left eye, while the rest of his battle-hardened body was clothed in black and red. He was Rodell, Ivan's leader and one of the most feared men on Ianoa Island._

_Ivan stood at attention, the look of apathy he had adopted in recent years softening a bit for this dangerous figure. However, he needn't worry about Rodell taking offense. Ivan was his biggest asset, and for now he could do no wrong._

_"Pretty soon, kid, I won't even need a gang! You're doing all their work!" Grunts could be heard coming from the rest of the gang, but Rodell paid them no mind. "That's why I have an assignment for you. I've gotten a tip that Gang Green is having a meeting tonight by the docks. All their bigwigs will be there. It's too dangerous to storm the place. Can I count on you to take them out?"_

_Rodell extended his hand, and Ivan gripped it without hesitation. "Absolutely." _

_As his leader further explained the plan, Ivan couldn't help but let thoughts flood his head. _'Finally'_, he thought, _'finally all this killing has a meaning! Finally, this cursed power is doing something good for me!'

_With only a small sliver of moon illuminating his way, Ivan slipped into an alleyway by the docks. The building before him was the place, no doubt about it. _

_"Strange," Ivan observed, "there's no guards." As he peered into one of the small windows on the building's side, his eyebrows arched low. "And no gang leaders either."_

_"Exactly!" a voice exclaimed. Ivan turned to see a man in red on the other side of the alley, with a rifle aimed toward his heart._

_"Archer?" Ivan asked, stunned at the presence of another member of his gang there. "What the hell are you doing here? And where's Gang Green?"_

_Archer just laughed. "They were never meeting here! I arranged for Rodell to get that tip!"_

_"Bastard!" Ivan exclaimed. "What could you possibly gain from that?"_

_"Silence, you goddamned kiss-ass!" Archer yelled. "You make us look bad! You're leaving all of your 'friends' in the dust!" He cocked his weapon. "And the last thing we need is competition."_

_However, Ivan actually smiled. "We?" he asked. "The others are as messed up as you?"_

_"Absolutely." Archer laughed. Much to Ivan's despair, the members of his own gang began to appear, pouring in from alleyways and rooftops. Each had a gun pointed toward the despised teen. "And this is what we do to competition!" _

_The powers of Ivan's Suji Suji Fruit came to life with a passion as he fought for his life, but nothing could have saved him from the surprise betrayal. Bullets flew from all directions, searing into his muscles. Blood flew as he finally collapsed, ending the display of carnage._

_"Looks like even a Devil's Fruit can't stand up to the element of surprise." Archer sneered._

_However, destiny had greater things in mind for Ivan. It had been forseen._

_Before the traitors could even leave the site of their murder, they were given the same treatment themselves. The alley was cleared of the punks in a blinding flash of white._

_Before that light had even faded away, it was followed by a wave of red._

_Ivan's vision began to return to him—it came in a slow blur, but who could complain when on the verge of death only moments before? He was finally able to pull himself to his feet, and as his sight regained its full capacity he noticed an old woman standing beside him._

_"Quite a power you have there." She said. "Found a Devil's Fruit, did you?"_

_"It's no power." Ivan growled, spitting on the ground beside him. "It's a curse. All it's ever done is bring me pain—from Dad all the way up to those bastards."_

_Suddenly, his eyebrows perked as if he had just remembered something. "But you…are you the one who saved me?" The old lady nodded, a wry smile covering her wrinkled face. "I wish you had just let me die! Dad's gone, and I certainly can't go back to Rodell's gang anymore." His head hung. "And Mom's been gone for almost as long as I can remember."_

_The old woman placed her hand on the teen's shoulder, her tender touch surprising him. "I can be your Mother now." Ivan sent a surprised look in her direction. "I have a place for you, my child. I can give your life a purpose." Her eyes took on a whole new intensity as they gazed into his. "I can rid your life of this curse."_

_Ivan now sat in the plush accommodations of the Ehever. He had brand new clothes—sans a shirt—and they'd even given him a haircut. He was still skeptical, however. The gang had been kind at first, too. He didn't know how this refuge could be any different._

_Suddenly, Mother shuffled into the room. She held a shirt of some kind in her arms._

_"This, Ivan, is the Ehedren armor." She said with a smile. Before Ivan could object, she had already stuffed the tunic over his head and onto his body. "Now, just try to use your power."_

_Ivan stood and attempted to tap into the Suji Suji, but his efforts only resulted in a crimson power that filled the room._

_"This is amazing!" The teen exclaimed as he stared at himself. "You…you've saved me!"_

_Mother seemed to take the statement in stride as she got on her feet. "Come, we have a mission to fulfill. You know better then most the condition of this island. We are going to bring a new renaissance, my child. Are you with me?"_

_Ivan smiled happily—for the first time in years—at this woman. She had freed him from this cursed power that had cast a miserable aura over his life. He owed her so much. _

_"Your very wish is my command, my Mother. Forever."_

"Suji Suji Maximum!"

Again Ivan's muscles bulked to their maximum size, and one hand grasped the green horn of the charging rhinoceros. Effortlessly he lifted Beast Boy into the air, and then slammed him into the stone floor. He moved to stomp the annoyance's head flat, but already it had become an alligator, with razor sharp teeth and a jaw ready to snap shut.

Instead, the only snapping was the sound of Ivan's kick sending him flying. An effortless transformation to a monkey ended the flight, however, and his nimble feet had barely touched ground before they propelled him into the air. Of course, as he soared towards Ivan Beast Boy became a gorilla—one of his favorite forms—and raised his arms in preparation for a fierce attack.

The Iso-jin leapt backwards, easily evading the green paws tearing into the floor. Stone flew as Beast Boy's confidence suddenly rose; he had just as much destructive force as this old man! Unfortunately, this proved untrue as the gorilla's punch was stopped dead in its tracks. Ivan held the beast's arm at bay as if it was a baby throwing the punch; with a sudden snap the man pulled his arm back, bringing his opponent in close.

However, Ivan was greeted only by the claws of a bear slashing across his chest. With an attack finally landed Beast Boy charged forward, paw raised and ready to rip. However, even as the Iso-jin fell backwards he didn't let his offensive fall; his leg swept up, planting itself into the bear's chin and punting him like a green football. The Titan spiraled before slamming to a halt, having reverted to his human form.

Ivan grinned as he finally regained his footing, and not wasting a moment he charged, becoming nothing but a blur. Dust filled the air as the Iso-jin's heel tore into the floor, slowing his halt as he drew close to his target; his arm was already wound.

Much to the Iso-jin's surprise, however, he was the one on the receiving end of an attack. His body soared into the air as the shapeshifter beneath him took on the titanic shape of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, his prehistoric head butting Ivan towards the ceiling. Before they met, however, the monster's tail lashed into the old man's side and drove him into the far wall.

As Ivan recovered from that vicious strike, his first sight was that of Beast Boy's extinct form charging, his mouth wide open and teeth—which were nearly the size of Ivan himself—glinting evilly. The smile that passed the Iso-jin's face wasn't so nice itself as he leapt from the wall and straight into the Titan's mouth.

With inhuman speed Ivan landed on BB's tongue, but he rested only for as second before leaping into the air, planting his heels into the roof of Beast Boy's mouth. The tyrannosaurus's head snapped backwards as Ivan somersaulted into the air—and out of its mouth.

Beast Boy quickly shook it off, but by then the Iso-jin's acrobatics had ended. He pulled his arms behind his head, clasping one hand within the other.

"Suji Suji Enhancement: Arms!"

As if he had taken super-steroids the muscles in Ivan's arms nearly tripled in size—however, the rest of his body shrunk to its normal size. The soldier swung his fists, striking the beast's nose like a hammer would a nail. Beast Boy was frozen in place as the impact traveled through him, even crushing the very rock beneath him. After a few seconds the Titan finally collapsed as well, hitting the ground in his human form.

Ivan somersaulted to the ground, confident in his victory. As he fell to the ground his muscles had returned to their previous form, maxed out evenly across his body.

Beast Boy was woozy; he could only see the ground beneath him, but it span like he was on an amusement park ride. His hand moved around feebly until it finally landed upon a furry figure.

_Chopper!_

The Titan leapt to his feet and instantly noticed the mountain of rock behind him. Pushing Chopper onto his back, he was relieved to see the reindeer's chest moving up and down. If he had died in the collapse…Beast Boy didn't know what he would have done!

Moving the pirate's backpack, BB was relieved to see that last Rumble Ball still in one piece also. Bringing the fragile medicine into his grasp, the changeling then found his opponent standing on one of the piles of displaced rocks.

"So, you can control your muscles." Beast Boy remarked. "Looks like you can even focus them in different parts of your body." he noticed, referring to Ivan's last attack. "What should I call you then? Captain Steroid?"

"Call me what you like, it doesn't matter." Ivan crossed his arms—Beast Boy was stumped at how he did so with such large arms—and let his condescending glare meet his enemy's. "Don't you see! Mother can even give this cursed power of mine a purpose—my faith in her will be your downfall!"

Clasping the crystal around his neck, the Iso-jin couldn't help but gloat. "After all, you're damned no matter what you do! If you don't fight back, you're dead; if you do, not only are you dead but you're helping us! You didn't think we called you here just to get Terra back, did you? Every last attack you can muster only brings us closer to our goal!"

Beast Boy gasped, but he had barely made the sound before his fist and teeth clenched instead. "I don't care!" he exclaimed. "Know why? Because, like you, I have friends I'd trust my life to! And they trust me too! I know we can stop whatever you guys are planning together!"

The Titan's gaze passed his unconscious comrade for a moment. "I'd be letting them down if I died, or if I let him die! So for that reason I will fight, no matter what it means for you!" Suddenly, he tossed the Rumble Ball into the air. "And I will do whatever it takes to bring you down!"

The yellow orb landed between Beast Boy's pointed teeth.

"RUMBLE!"

Ivan only raised an eyebrow. "Do you think that thing can really help you?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "Chopper said it mutated Devil's Fruit DNA, but this is a whole different world now—besides, my DNA is twisted to begin with!"

"Then let's see whose faith brings about a perfect union." With the proposal barely out of his mouth, Ivan charged forward.

The Teen Titan's body began to vibrate, and suddenly a giant set of wings sprouted from his back. "Sweet!" he exclaimed. With one mighty flap of his new appendages he easily evaded his opponent's strike, and almost as if it was a game he soared about, pulling beneath and maneuvering above Ivan's punches.

As he dodged another attack Beast Boy's right arm suddenly enlarged to that of a gorilla's. He flew to the side and unleashed a skull-shattering hook; it lived up to its name, sending blood soaring from the Iso-jin's mouth as he staggered.

Before he could even recover, Beast Boy was beneath him; positioned upside-down, his legs were resting just below Ivan's chin. As their owner laughed, they shifted to the legs of a donkey. Ivan hit the floor a few feet away, hoof-prints imbedded on his face.

"Be careful," Beast Boy taunted, pulling his eyelid down, "We don't want you making a jackass out of yourself now." Of course, he didn't expect any laughs—just like home—so instead his thoughts wandered. "Wow, looks like that ball messed up my DNA so badly now that I can mix and match my animal parts!"

The Iso-jin, meanwhile, pulled himself to his feet easily, cracking his neck.

"Hey old man!" The Titan exclaimed. "What do you have to say now?"

"Only that…" Ivan suddenly disappeared, and instantaneously emerged directly before his opponent, "You shouldn't have made me take you seriously!" With no room to maneuver, Beast Boy was sent reeling by the old man's punch; just the cracking echo of the impact shattered nearby rocks.

Blood filled the gap between the two fighters, but Ivan was stunned to discover that it was his; the skin on his fist had been ripped clean off!

Beast Boy stood a few feet away, his torso covered in craggy gray plating. It was shattered by Ivan's punch, but as it quickly reverted to the Titan's purple and black "Doom Patrol" uniform it could be seen that he was unharmed.

"Hide of a rhino." The boy smiled.

His mind filled with uncontrollable rage, Ivan pulled his arms behind his back again. "Suji Suji Enhancement…" Again his arms borrowed the muscles from the rest of his body; with all his might he thrusted them forward. "…HURRICANE!"

The force of the Iso-jin's super-powered movements created a powerful wind that stormed past the Titan, pulling rocks with it. "Density of a blue whale!" the changeling cried. While everything in the attack's path was swept up, Beast Boy remained unmoved—he was far too dense to be blown away.

"Legs of a gazelle!" he next cried, using them to push his physics-defying body toward the old geezer. His other arm took on the claws of a bear, and they were aimed straight for Ivan's head. Realizing the severity of his predicament, his muscles resumed their rightful positions.

"Suji Chest Shield!" Ivan proclaimed. His pectoral muscles shot upwards, intercepting Beast Boy's claws. Blood poured through the air as he sliced through his chest; but far better it then the Iso-jin's head.

As he staggered backwards, however, Ivan was already recovering. While his skin remained shredded, his tendons were already at work, and in only seconds there was no damage to his muscles.

"I can easily rebuild my muscles from scratch." Ivan bragged.

"Yeah yeah, I get it. Just means I have to fight you a different way!" Beast Boy sighed. Shifting his weight to the side, he pulled back his middle and index fingers. "Webbing of a spider!"

Steel-like threads span from the changeling's new-found spinnerets, instantly ensnaring the Iso-jin. Beast Boy grabbed the line with his gorilla arm and then took to the air, spinning his opponent about before slamming him to the ground.

"Marvel better not expect any money from that either." The Titan laughed. Attacking his opponent with another line, he again readied to attack.

However, Ivan took a lesson from his opponent's strategy. Before he was in the air he managed to grab the line, and this time he pulled Beast Boy to the ground! BB landed on his feet, the shock sweeping through his body and paralyzing him for a second.

"Suji Suji Enhancement: Hands!" Ivan cried. Muscles moved and skin stretched, and within seconds the Iso-jin's hands were as big as Beast Boy. The changeling's eyes grew wide as saucers as he realized he couldn't move in time to avoid being crushed!

Ivan's eyes grew wide with bloodlust at the opportunity. "THUNDER CLAP!"

A boom as loud as thunder echoed through the cavern, as did the screams of not one but two warriors.

In unexpected pain Ivan stumbled backwards. Quills lined his oversized hands, but even stranger were the halos of blue energy coursing across his body. With a strange movement of his hands the quills popped out, and the Iso-jin fell to his knees as his muscles returned to their well-distributed maximum. As the strange force dissipated smoke flew from his tired body.

Beast Boy was rather devastated as well. As he staggered, however, he wore a smile on his face. Quills—which were now quickly retracting—had covered his green body.

"Quills of a porcupine," he announced, "Covered with the scales of an electric eel." Ivan grunted as he managed to get on his feet—still shaking. "Plus, I upped the amperage just for you. Figured if I was getting smashed I might as well return the favor."

Ivan cocked his head to the side, spitting a load of blood to the ground. "Not bad at all." He admitted. "For you I might have to pull out all the stops!"

As the Titan was left to contemplate what that just might entail, Ivan had already ripped several boulders from ground, hurling them toward his opponent. Taking flight, Beast Boy's butt stretched into a massive dinosaur's tail; whipping about, it smashed through the oncoming projectiles.

Not waiting for more to come flying, the Titan charged forward—only to be knocked back by a punch likely to have shaken the very Earth itself.

The winded Teen Titan couldn't even pull himself to his feet; he had to rely on his wings to do so. _What sort of power could create a punch like that?_

"Suji Suji Overdrive." Ivan grunted. His body answered Beast Boy's question rather easily. His muscles had overcome their limits, pushing past safe sizes. Skin had snapped, now only barely covering the lumbering masses of tendons and pure meat.

Beast Boy's jaw dropped. "Okay, now that's just sick!" _But the power it packs is just as sick!_ he realized. _I'd better pull out all the stops too!_

The changeling's entire body now vibrated as he became a green blur. "Wings of an eagle! Arms and chest of a gorilla! Claws of a crab! Head and tail of a raptor! Legs of a gazelle!"

If a raptor's face could contain a smile this one would; the proud Titan's freakish gaze met that of his equally freakish opponent. "I see our minds are in the same place. If you can go all out, why not me too?"

"I see you kept the vocal cords of a human." Ivan observed. "How unfortunate. But I agree. It is time to end this now!"

Suddenly, both competitors vanished. Across the cavern they both met; an utterly devastating punch was landed to Beast Boy, but his flight was prevented by his green claws tearing into the Iso-jin's other arm. Muscle flew as he ripped it straight from Ivan's arm, and then bore that other claw into his chest.

By the time Ivan had landed, however, that flesh was completely restored. The changeling charged again, but this time his assaults were blocked with relative ease by shield-sized muscles. Taking his body into a spin, the old man landed a roundhouse that sent his opponent skidding across the floor.

However, distance was no problem in this fight. Beast Boy's arms shot forward as if fired from a grappling hook—now in the form of snakes—and the claws both dug into an arm. Reeling him in, the Titan sunk his prehistoric teeth into the soldier's shoulder.

Ivan screamed, and as if urged on by the cry his shoulder muscles expanded, knocking the raptor's mouth away. At this distance he couldn't miss, and he launched a straight guaranteed to knock that head right off its shoulders.

Of course, no twist was too absurd for this battle, and the punch easily missed. A giraffe's neck was curved around the oversized arm, and it now lunged forward for a headbutt. Triceratops horns sprouted as his head connected with Ivan's chest, and as he pulled back an elephant's tusks grew from his cheeks—guaranteeing slashes up and down the Iso-jin's chest.

Releasing his grip to further attack, however, changed the tide as Beast Boy received a foot in his gut. Sent soaring uncontrollably toward the ceiling, he was quickly followed by Ivan. Spiraling through the air, Ivan snickered as all his muscles moved into his already outrageously backed arm.

"Suji Suji Overdriven Enhancement…" One punch from the godlike arm knocked the wind out of Beast Boy as well as knocking him back to his human form. "…HURRICANE!" The resulting force of the attack slammed the changeling to the ground as if he was a cannonball.

"This is it!" Ivan cried, spiraling through the air as he swooped in for the final punch. "You can't survive this last punch! My trust in Mother has won this battle! I will fulfill my mission and bring her glorious vision to life!"

"No you won't!" Beast Boy rebutted. "No matter how much you trust in her, the old hag is working with Slade! I can't let them win: for the city's, no, the world's sake!" His eyebrows narrowed in resolve. "Even if it means taking desperate measures!"

Beast Boy hurled his leg forward, and it took on the body of a snake. However, the snake's head stretched into a protruding claw. Ivan's muscles tried to intercept it, but nothing was stopping this attack; Beast Boy's claw pierced the Iso-jin's chest.

A second later, a stream of blood exploded from Ivan's throat.

The old man's muscles nearly disappeared as he fell to the ground, flat on his chest. The Titan's leg returned to normal as he made it to his feet.

Tears streamed from Ivan's eyes as he desperately tried to get up. "Wh…wh…"

"My snake leg extended through your chest and straight into your heart." Beast Boy said. "Plus, I made it a poisonous snake; the poison was a combination of every naturally occurring poison in nature." He shook his head sadly. "There's no way you'll be getting up from that. That poison is unstoppable, and it's already going through your whole bloodstream."

"N-no…" Ivan gasped, his hand finally grabbing the crystal around his neck. "M-Mot-ther…can…h-heal me…I…I s-saw it…"

His grip nearly crushed the crystal. "Mother please!"

Then Ivan's head hit the ground. The last signs of life fled his tired body.

"What a poor old man." Beast Boy couldn't help but admit. "He trusted so much, only to be let down in the end."

The Titan moved to fly back to Chopper, but he couldn't help but take one last glance at the fallen Iso-jin.

_I've never killed anybody before, _he thought. Shaking his head, he turned into a raven. _And I'll never do it again._

A raven landed besides Tony Tony Chopper. As it resumed its human form the green boy shook the reindeer.

"Wake up, Chopper." he urged. "Wake up!"

Finally the doctor stirred. The strange creature hopped onto his tiny feet, adjusting his hat. "Did we win?"

"You bet we did." Beast Boy smiled, giving him thumbs up.

"Great!" Chopper exclaimed. "Now we can get out of here and help our friends!"

"Yeah!" Beast Boy realized. _I can still save her! _"But first, we should wash that paint off you!"

Chopper looked his new green fur up and down. "Yeah, we'd better. No offense, but this shade doesn't really suit me."

The changeling chuckled. "It's cool. Mind if you do it yourself though? I need to take a r…"

Beast Boy collapsed, still in mid-sentence. The battle with Ivan had taken a lot out of him, after all. With it over and the Rumble Ball's effects gone, it was about time he felt the damage.

"Beast Boy!" Chopper gasped, leaping into the air. "Doctor! Doctor! We need a doctor!"

Everything grew silent as the reindeer looked around for a second.

"Wait a second! I'm a doctor!"

Next time: Control—You Can Only Save Yourself


	20. Chapter 20

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 20: Control—You Can Only Save Yourself**

Her mind was dazed, her senses fading in and out like a radio with no reception. She could feel the draft from the cold underground cavern, but seconds later that would fade out, soon replaced by the vague sounds of her own footsteps. However, she had no control of her actions—or of her malfunctioning senses—anymore. Her body was no longer her own.

All she had left were her thoughts, which kept replaying her downfall in her mind. Her betrayal, the kindness she just couldn't resist falling for, and eventually that calamitous final battle. She'd lost it, and with it went her control—she belonged to Slade now.

No—she had given herself to him ages ago. As much as she hated to admit it, she had willingly given away her own control. She had done too much wrong to make up for her mistakes now.

She was paying the price for her stupidity.

"That merman wanted to run, but no! I, Captain Usopp, cornered him with a wall of fire from my Flame Stars!" Usopp was somewhat hunched as he walked along, his balled fists held in front of his head as his face was illuminated in joy. "He begged for mercy, but I wouldn't let him trick me! As he—"

"Enough, dumbass."

Sanji lifted his heel from the back of his comrade's head. The cook seemed strangely unaffected as he took a drag of his cigarette, not caring if he'd hurt the liar or not. "You know that story's not true."

Usopp didn't have a response, seeing as he hadn't finished twitching on the ground yet.

After walking a few feet without Usopp by his side the pirate finally realized that he wasn't there. "Oh come on…" Strolling back to the fallen sharpshooter's side, Sanji could see the sides of his mouth arcing into a small smile.

"Think you're clever?" Sanji grunted as he leaned down. "Well, I'm not carrying you." Suddenly Usopp felt his long nose being squeezed—then yanked. The sniper cried in surprise as he was lifted into the air—by his nose—and pulled along. His legs dragged across the ground.

"Put me down! I can walk, Sanji!"

"Sure, now you can." The cook sighed, not releasing his grip as he tapped ashes from the death stick dangling between his lips with his free hand. As he trudged on the complaints from the captive pirate didn't end.

Suddenly, the one visible eyebrow of the chef perked as he saw an end to the tunnel. "Look, there's a cavern ahead. If you're really that tired we can rest there for a while."

"Thank you Sanji!" Usopp exclaimed boisterously, though his voice was mangled by the vice-like grip closing his nasal passages. However, they hadn't yet reached the cavern before he found himself face-first on the floor—again. "Sanji?"

As the sniper's gaze moved from the dirt beneath him to his shipmate, he could see the cook's body wiggling as if he had ants in his pants. Hearts exploded from Sanji's eyes as his jaw dropped into a cutely perverted position.

"Terra-chaaaaaaan!"

Sanji dashed forward in a hormonal rage, and his exclamation propelled Usopp to his feet. He pulled down one of the lenses of his goggles, and as its magnification zoomed in it left no doubt in the liar's mind. That was definitely Terra.

She stood alone in the cavern, her gaze transfixed upon the entranceway where they now stood. Her delicate, golden locks hung over her face, concealing one of her eyes—like Sanji or, more appropriately, Slade. An unusually malevolent smile adorned her lips, and her body was already poised to attack. Occasionally a blue spark would travel across a part of her body, usually followed by a twitch in the girl's eyebrow.

Usopp couldn't believe his luck to run into her here—both good and bad, depending on how it was viewed. What…what would he say to her?

His friend, however, seemed to have no such trepidations. "Don't worry, Terra-chan! Your prince is coming!" he cried as he dashed across the cavern.

However, the phrase had barely left Sanji's mouth before he had been toppled onto his back. The dirt beneath him exploded into the air in a flash of yellow, knocking the pirate's feet out from under him. The uprooted stones now flew forward, targeting the other Straw Hat.

Unlike his crewmate, however, Usopp was prepared. Both lenses of his goggles had been pulled over his eyes, and already his slingshot was in-hand and aimed. "Killer Move Explosive Star!" The echoing sounds of snapping rubber filled the cavern as the sniper fired several times in succession, successfully shattering the rocks.

Usopp sighed as he lowered his weapon. Sanji's hormones were obviously clouding his vision; he, on the other hand, could see quite clearly. The malice on Terra's face was plain as day. His crewmate may have been ready to save a damsel in distress, but _he_ had to be prepared to do the unthinkable. He had to take down his friend!

A smile was still on Sanji's face as he leapt to his feet, seemingly unfazed. "I'm happy to see you too, Terra-chan!" Terra could only look on as he brushed the dirt from his black pants. "Let's go back to the others now!"

"Back?" Terra finally spoke, her voice becoming more malicious then her friends ever thought possible. "You expect me to just come back with you and those other childish fools! I'm going back to Slade, with your two dead bodies as presents."

A yellow aura engulfed her delicate frame as she thrusted her arms into the air—in response, the ground before her uprooted and soared towards Sanji. However, they never had a chance of hitting their target, which had quickly leapt above the projectiles. As he fell back to the floor he twisted his body, easily swinging his legs into the remaining rocks before landing without a scratch.

Not letting him get away that easily, Terra now pulled her arms back to her side. The ceiling rumbled, and in a flash of golden energy a large chunk of it hurled down towards the cook. Sanji never missed a beat, however, and even though his eye was locked only on Terra he was already prepared to counter.

"ANTI MANNERS KICK COURSE!"

The stone shattered around the pirate's body, pebbles crumbling from the sole of his shoes. His leg pointed straight into the air—parallel with his body—at a ninety degree angle. It was a feat impossible for a normal human, but as Usopp so often pointed out, Sanji wasn't human: he was a monster.

Remnants from the shattered boulder again took flight, coming at the chef from all around him. Faster than the blink of an eye Sanji was standing on his hands, legs split as he span like a helicopter blade. No rock could penetrate a defense like that, and in another nearly-instantaneous movement he was back on his feet, looking oblivious to the threat as he toyed with his cigarette.

Terra screamed, obviously frustrated not only by the failure of her attacks, but also by her opponent's indifferent stance on it all. The ground and walls behind her were suddenly split as countless shards of stone shot towards Sanji.

Sanji's eyebrow perked as if he had noticed he was even being attacked for the first time. He lifted his right leg into the air, as steady on one leg as he would be on two.

"Nouilles amarrons!" he announced. As the first layer of rocks was about to hit his raised leg turned into a black blur, batting back and forth with the speed of a hummingbird on a sugar rush. The barrage rushed on relentlessly, but Sanji's leg lashed about with equal resolve. In the end it triumphed, and the sides of the cook's lips curled into a smile as he returned to equal footing.

"Stop playing around, Terra-chan." Sanji petitioned. "We can take Slade. Stop taking his commands and come back to us—" his serious tone suddenly fluctuated as hearts bulged from his eyes, "—cause I miss you, my loooove!"

"You can take Slade?" Terra seemed to take amusement in his speculation. "Funny, it doesn't even seem like you can take me!" Before the taunt had even left her lips the ground beneath Sanji shook, and suddenly a pillar of stone emerged, rapidly carrying the cook towards the ceiling.

With one adept cartwheel Sanji had leapt over the edge and off of the tower. However, a move like that was expected. A portion of the pillar behind him snapped free and barreled into the cook's back. Blood and a scream escaped from his lips, but he didn't let this deter him for long as he slipped on top of the projectile, planning to ride it to wherever it may land.

Crouching low, Terra escaped into the air atop a floating stone, leaving the barreling pillar no target; unless its course was changed! Slipping off its side, Sanji span in midair and planted his heel into the back of the slab. Surprisingly it didn't shatter, but just enough force passed through it to send it careening on a new course.

With one miraculous shot Terra's transportation had been knocked from under her.

Still, she managed to land unharmed, with the poise of a true professional. However, her perfect landing had put her in a less-than-perfect situation. Sanji stood directly before her—far too close for comfort.

"Relax," Sanji grinned, "I could never lay a finger on a lady."

Suddenly shifting his weight to the side of his foot, he dug the edges of his shoes into the floor. With a spin he uprooted some dirt, and it flung to the traitor's face. She gasped, no doubt more in surprise than pain, and was driven backwards as he continued his unusual attack.

"So what then?" Terra suddenly asked. Her opponent had already launched another attack, but it only froze in midair. "You're going to subdue me with an element I have control over?" The dirt reversed its course, hurling into the cook's face, and it was quickly followed by the rest of the dirt that had covered her body only moments before. She regained her previous composure now as a wave of her arm finished the combination, and drove Sanji into a wall.

"Killer Move…"

The Earth-mover's head perked, and the sudden realization of what that meant sent it turning about, frantically trying to find the sniper's location.

"Explosive Star!"

Of course, the sound of Usopp's voice finally helped Terra locate her former friend. He had climbed up some machinery to a catwalk close to the ceiling—just a tiny portion of the many mechanisms that ran Slade's hideout. A wall of stone rose as a shield, but by then it was too late. The tiny projectile had been faster than Terra's reflexes, and it collided with the girl with a tremendous boom.

She stumbled backwards, smoke billowing from her tiny body, but already the Earth around her was retaliating. The space between Usopp and Terra filled with dozens of razor-tipped stones, each teeming with Terra's desire to crush the long-nosed fool.

Usopp screamed, throwing back his arms as he dashed to the side—and promptly tripped over his own shoelaces. However, that bumbling maneuver sent him soaring further than he could have imagined, and though the sniper landed face-down he had cleared his opponent's deadly barrage.

"Again!" He cried, not even bothering to stand as he fired another pellet of gunpowder. Of course, this time Terra was ready—and had already seen the attack once. Her barrier of stone snapped as it soared into the air, and only moments later it had exploded into pieces.

Usopp's face brightened. "Cactus Star!"

In a flash, what looked like one of the disheveled pebbles from her shield exploded. However, it didn't take Terra more than a second to deduce that it was a second projectile, fired almost immediately after the explosive star. She had given it cover!

There was barely even time to cover her face—and certainly not enough to summon a defense—as the myriads of green needles from Usopp's Cactus Star tore into Terra's skin. Teeth gritted, she hissed as her body took the attacks. Her yellow aura crawled up her entire body, glowing with the intensity of a star.

"Give it up Terra." The girl lowered her arms to see Sanji standing before her, his suit battered but his demeanor untouched. Even his damned cigarette still dangled between his fingers. "We aren't going to let you hurt yourself anymore!"

"That's IT!" Terra's one visible eye snapped to the size of a saucer, her eyebrow arching angrily above it. Her aura began sparking, rays of its vibrant light dancing across the room. The needles protruding from her body were instantly petrified, and they shattered seconds later. "Don't you get it! I'm only hurting you!"

The former Titan pulled her arms behind her head and, with the mighty scream only she was capable of, she slammed them to the ground. The floor split, the fissure led by a golden stream of Terra's power. Just the aura was enough to sweep Sanji off his feet and into the far wall without a moment between the two positions.

However, even as the cook was stopped by the wall of stone the aura continued its trip, coloring that entire corner of the room yellow. Terra's power gave those walls a life of their own as they pulled from the walls and into ghastly shapes.

"Damn," Sanji growled as he stumbled onto his feet, holding his head. "When did she get that much po—"

The pirate's cigarette hit the ground as he soared far above it, and the leg of stone that swept his former location. From his vantage point he could count three of the creatures; standing probably four times Sanji's height, the stone monsters were vaguely humanoid. They were also far faster than their bulk suggested—as Sanji's forced mid-thought flight gave evidence to.

Before he could launch an attack of his own, Sanji felt his ribs being crushed. The second creature pulled its arm back from where it had left its opponent; the cook's blood still smeared the beast's limb. The other two abominations threw punches, and their straight-forward attacks were a welcome change of pace.

Pushing his hands into the wall behind him Sanji flipped just over the two stone fists, and the force of their attacks was more than sufficient fuel for a tremendous somersault.

"Concasse!" The somersault fizzled as the acrobat planted his heel into the head of the furthest beast; stone crumbled as it staggered backwards, but only for a second. Even as its "brothers" dashed in to rescue it the creature had already recovered, so the meeting of the three monsters instead turned into a joint attack.

The floor around him became a small crater. Sanji was finally showing the scars of this battle, his body trembling as he called on every inch of his super-human stamina.

"This is perfect." he sighed as he spat blood to the ground besides him. "Two I could handle, but three of these shit-heads surrounding me all the time is going to be a challenge."

_How could Terra _possibly_ get that much power! _Usopp thought, subconsciously stepping backwards as he trembled at the sight of his crush's new attack. _Even if she was training with Slade, you'd think we would have seen some sign of her full power before this!_

"Now it's your turn, long-nose!" Terra cried. Already a several-ton boulder was heading his way. The sight of the attack snapped Usopp's attention back to where it should be. He had already chosen his next bullet before he had even seen his opponent's offensive, but now it only made the decision even better.

"Killer Move…" Pulling back on the elastic of his sling, Usopp slipped in a rather large projectile. It was shaped like a boomerang, and only the end fit into the slingshot. "…Shooting Stars!"

The L-shaped star spiraled through the air and straight towards the boulder; it seemed Usopp's technique was no match for the other, until it suddenly split. With a hissing sound the shooting star split like a banana being peeled, and now there were about a dozen L-shaped projectiles soaring towards the stone.

If that wasn't enough, the shooting stars next sliced that boulder into pebbles. Their insanely sharp edges glinted as they hurled past the wreckage they caused and towards Terra.

A wall of stone was the defense the girl provided, but the unstoppable projectiles made scrap of it as well and only grew ever closer to their target. Panic crossed Terra's face, but only for a second. It was gone as soon as she swung her arm before her, and sent a volley of stones hurling horizontally through the air.

This time when they collided stone wasn't shredded. An attack from the side allowed the stones to ground the projectiles, which didn't have blades on their sides.

Terra released a long-pent breath as she gazed at the remarkable weapon. "Wha—what are those things?"

Usopp's resolve slipped away as he began shaking; he even gripped the pole of the catwalk for support. "You don't know?" He took a deep breath as all his plans and strategies shattered. "Then I guess that explains it all."

_"What's that, Usopp?" Terra asked. The sniper jumped; he had been assembling his supplies for the final assault, and with his concentration on that he'd never even heard the object of his affection approaching._

_"You mean this?" he asked, picking up a boomerang-like bullet. Terra nodded as he handed it to her. "I call it the shooting star. It's made of promethium metal—nearly unbreakable, and its edges'll cut through almost anything! Plus, it splits apart into a bunch of smaller ones!" He patted his fist on his chest. "A fitting weapon for Captain Usopp, made by Captain Usopp himself!"_

_The Titan laughed and rolled her eyes. "A weapon made of the strongest—and most expensive—metal of our world? Yeah, I bet it's all your idea."_

_The sniper's brown skin changed to a scarlet hue. "Hehe…I guess Robin helped me a little."_

_"I'm guessing he helped you a lot." Terra concluded, giving her friend back his new weapon as she stood up. "Whatever, at least it should help you out."_

Usopp's eyes were locked on Terra; he shuddered as he watched a blue spark crawl up her arm. _You were right, Terra,_ he thought, _it really was a big help! There can't be anyway for you to have forgotten that weapon already!_

A falling rock knocked his thoughts from his head, and as the coward raised his eyes he was horrified to see the entire wall behind him caving in! The catwalk was ripped from its joints and shredded in the falling pile of stones. Even Usopp's screams were swallowed up by the avalanche.

"And that's that." Terra said, her voice almost _too_ smug. She turned her back, wiping her palms together as she prepared to face her next threat.

"No…it isn't." The traitor gasped, spinning wildly. A figure stood before the avalanche, the stones around him strewn about. Blood leaked down his body like a crimson fountain; mixing with the purple of his numerous bruises it made a beautiful sight, until the pain it indicated was remembered. He still clung to his slingshot doggedly as he worked up the strength to again speak.

"I'm far from finished…Slade."

Terra snickered, her voice changing as she did so. "You're not as dumb as you look." Usopp could only shudder as he saw the girl he loved being controlled. With his identity revealed, Slade no longer tried to hide his influence over his apprentice. Her body took on the more confident posture of the madman, and while her voice remained Terra's, it still gained his vengeful air. "Well, I'm glad I wasn't that good at acting like a teenage girl after all."

"Why…why are you doing this to her?" Usopp asked. "Were you controlling her all along? It was you who made her betray us, wasn't it!"

"Nonsense." Slade snapped. "She was my apprentice long before you met her. However, she did make the mistake of trusting all of you. She decided to try to take me down herself, not only to prove herself to her 'friends' but to finish off me and her life of crime for good.

"However, she had made a promise. Terra promised me her power for my control, so when she lost our battle that's exactly what I gave her. I think I make much better use of her abilities."

Usopp staggered backwards, as if the story itself caused him pain. "You…you can't do that to her!"

"Watch me."

Suddenly the ground beneath the pirate erupted, and Usopp found himself being pushed through the air by an arcing pillar of stone. Almost as abruptly as his little trip had begun, however, it ended—the pillar crumbled around the sniper as he laid face-down, twitching on the ground.

However, this was nothing to the great Captain Usopp! "Egg Star!" he cried, flinging his next projectile as he stumbled to his feet. A stone erupted from the ground, easily stopping the bullet in its path. Looking through Terra's eyes, Slade laughed as he saw the yolk dripping down the rock.

"Hardly an effective attack." he taunted. "Are you giving up?"

"I can't attack you without hurting Terra!" Usopp cried. "Terra, I know you can hear me! Please, you can't let Slade do this to you anymore! Yo—"

His plea was interrupted as the ground beneath of him rose, driving itself into his gut and sending him soaring. Slade still laughed in his apprentice's voice, as yellow energy flickered on the ends of her hands.

"I'm afraid she has no choice in the matter."

Even as his blood leaked from his body Usopp dragged himself to his feet anyway. "You do have a choice Terra! You chose to let Slade control you from the start, and you can't let it continue! It's your body, your power! No matter what he's doing to you, you can't let him keep doing it!"

Terra's body moved forward, but before Slade could do whatever he was planning he was stopped in his tracks. The Titan's body shook as if warring between two masters—and as the struggle continued more and more electricity began crawling up her body.

"No!" Slade cried. "I won't let you regain control!"

"Yes! You can do it, Terra!" Usopp took another deep breath, but before he could call out again his attention was stolen by a blood-curdling scream.

"GAAAAH!" The three stone monoliths stood firm, their fists all connecting. As they backed up Sanji fell from between them, landing on the ground with a loud thump.

"Sanji!" Usopp turned in the direction of his crewmate, elastic on his slingshot already pulled back.

"How foolish to take your eyes away from your opponent." A small stone flew into the sniper's head; a second hurled into his gut, while a third knocked him off his feet. Terra's body stepped into his line of vision, now covered by a perpetual halo of blue. "You actually had her fighting back. I'm impressed. But her power can't overcome my control—with or without your coaching."

Tears welled in Usopp's eyes. He started to whimper as his now blurring vision moved from Terra to Sanji—who was now being swept up into the lumbering hand of one of the stone creatures.

"You can't save them both." Slade taunted. "Actually, now you can't even save one of them. You can't even save yourself."

Gritting his teeth, Usopp's body shook as he made his move. "You—you're wrong!" Suddenly his arm flung from his bag, unleashing a fistful of his bullets. "Smoke Stars!"

Plumes of smoke erupted from the projectiles, shrouding the two foes in a thick field of white vapor. Slade was enraged by the continued resistance of this pest, and even as his vessel coughed from the smoke filling her lungs her powers were coming to life.

"Enough!" He cried as the body he controlled threw its arms back. The dust around Terra took flight and span around her, creating a dust storm that easily dispersed the smoke.

Usopp stood firm as his cover was blown away. The elastic of his slingshot was pulled to its limits; an almost luminous blue-white arrow sat in it. The sniper finally had his bearings, and even though he knew his opponent's abilities would easily get rid of his cover it had given him enough time to save his friend.

"Robin, I hope this works as well as the last one."

_Usopp still held one of the Shooting Stars in his hand. "Are you sure you want to give these to me?"_

_"Sure." Robin smiled. "You seemed to really like them, and it's not like I've really had much of a chance to use them myself." The boy wonder removed his utility belt, laying it across his work table. He then moved to a shelf on the wall; it was filled with Redbird boomerangs and explosive disks, and the one next to it held his staffs and tomfas. "I need to refill my belt, but you can look at anything you want."_

_"Actually," Usopp paused, prompting Robin to give him his attention. "Those ice thingies you used on Smoker. I'd really like to have something like that; but not a gift! I want to be able to make as many as I want, from _my _materials!"_

_Robin laughed. "Makes sense. Come on, let's see what we can do."_

"Killer Move…Ice Star!"

Elastic snapped as Usopp sent the projectile soaring towards the stone monolith that now held Sanji in its grip. The creature's back split as the arrow sunk into it; almost instantly the area around the projectile froze and shattered. The abomination staggered backwards as blue spread up its body, until finally the entire creature had shattered into nothing more than a pile of ice shards.

Finally free of his opponent's grip, Sanji landed on the ground gracefully. "Thanks Us—Usopp!" His gratitude quickly turned to panic as he saw the fate that had befallen his comrade. As he took a step forward the chef's path was quickly blocked by the feet of the remaining stone monsters—feet that quickly swung forward.

Growling, Sanji leaped into a powerful straightforward kick that sent its target reeling.

"Mouton Shoot!"

Usopp heaved a sigh of relief as he saw Sanji's captor crumble into icy dust. _Well, I sure showed Slade! That's one friend Captain Usopp saved; time for the other!_

However, the braggart was in mid-turn as the ground beneath his feet upturned itself, ensnaring his feet. Usopp screamed, but before he could do anything else two more pillars of dirt shot up, ensnaring his wrists as well. They squeezed the pirate's limbs in a merciless grip; Usopp's hands shot open and his slingshot fell to the ground.

"That was a sneaky move." Slade said, pacing forwards towards his capture. "It was also futile. You think your friend will fare better against two opponents then he did three?"

The electronic halo continued to spark up Terra's body as her hand rose into the air. Chunks of stone floated above Usopp, combining together into a spear-like rock. It was a blade that could pierce the captive pirate's very life.

"Your cowardice is almost as annoying as your tenacity." Slade growled. The floating weapon began to tremble as Terra's hand balled into a fist. Her face contorted into the malevolent grin you'd imagine Slade wore beneath his mask. "They shall both come to an end here!"

Usopp's battered body shook as he slowly raised his head. His eyes met with Terra's, and for one split second he saw the true girl within.

"Terra…" Usopp coughed as his stone shackles suddenly tightened, but gritting his teeth he carried on anyway. "You…you can't let him do this…"

Her grin drooped, and in frustration Slade made her arm lower. However, the rock didn't budge.

"Sure you gave him control…but you—you realized what you did wrong! Your mistake…is just a mistake…your loss…is nothing."

Usopp panted, each breath more labored than the last. With pressure building Slade increased his power, and Terra was nearly hidden behind the veil of Slade's control. However, his weapon still didn't respond.

"Maybe he gave you control…but it's yours now…it's your power, your control, your body…only you have the right to use it!"

The ground around Terra crumbled as her aura expanded. Beads of sweat rolled down her face as her hair started to stand on end.

"If you keep letting Slade use you…if you let him kill me…it'll be a bigger mistake than your betrayal ever was!"

As soon as the scream left his lips he knew it was over. Either Terra would pull through or he would die. He didn't want to die. He still had Kaya and the Usopp Pirates back at home, and he hadn't even made it to Elbaf yet. There were his friends who were no doubt fighting for their lives too, and most important of all there was this girl fighting for her freedom just several feet away.

He was risking all of that just to save her. He could die, but yet life seemed unappealing without Terra. He would only live on if she could too. He…he would risk his life for her!

As Terra's powers struggled for control he felt his strength leaving his body. He didn't have the strength to watch anymore. He had to have faith in Terra. He closed his eyes, confident his friend would prevail, yet prepared for the worse.

With this action, he came closer to becoming a brave warrior of the sea then anybody realized.

Finally her senses had fully returned. She couldn't let Slade kill Usopp, and the screams of her friend finally made her realize only she could stop him! So what if she had lost once? Then she had been fighting only to clear her name. This time it was different. This time she had somebody to save. She had somebody believing in her!

Usopp was placing his life on the line. She couldn't let that gamble be his end! She had rebelled against Slade in the first place because of the kindness of her teammates, but this was the first time she had seen it so clearly!

She finally realized any of her other friends would do the same: especially Beast Boy. How lucky was she to have two friends who loved her so dearly? No matter what happened after this fight, or after this entire incident, these two would forever do anything for her! It was time for her to return their love!

Beast Boy's love helped heal her finally feel like she belonged; Usopp's helped her finally realize her true power. She would forever love these two, and it was time to show it!

Terra screamed like she never had before. Her hair stood completely on end as her yellow aura exploded. It flooded through the room, completely wiping out the last remnants of Slade's control. The devices Slade had used implanted within her shattered as the power of the very Earth itself flowed through her, and only seconds later the crystal Mother had given her did the same. The threat looming above Usopp exploded into harmless dust, and the stones binding him also seemingly dissolved.

Usopp fell backwards until he felt himself in somebody's arms. Opening his eyes he saw the face of his love; with Slade's control gone, he could finally see both her eyes again.

"Terra…"

"I know." Terra smiled. "Thank you, Usopp."

"Bukutereeri Shuuto!" Sanji cried. The two were snapped out of their moment as they noticed their friend slamming his feet into one of the stone monolith's chins, snapping its head backwards.

Usopp slowly released himself from Terra's grip and picked up his slingshot. "Looks like those things have a mind of their own."

"I guess so," she smiled. "I never knew I could even do that until Slade pulled it off. It's gonna be real handy now." Usopp reached into his bag for another ice star, but his love's tiny arm stopped him. "Save your energy. I can handle it."

A faint trace of yellow appeared around her arm as she pointed to the far wall; three pillars of stone erupted from it and soared straight towards one of the giant creatures. Before it knew what had hit it the obelisks had impaled the stone monster; its remains crumbled into a pile of lifeless rock.

Terra moved to do the same to the others, but suddenly fell to her knees instead.

"Terra!" Usopp exclaimed, rushing to her side.

"I'm fine Usopp." she sighed. "I guess breaking free from Slade just drained most of my energy."

Upon noticing the defeat of another enemy, Sanji finally noticed Terra. "TERRA-CHAN!" he gushed, hearts gushing from his eyes.

Usopp growled under his breath. "I'm fine too, you know!"

Sanji dashed forward, proclaiming his love for the now-saved damsel before his path was blocked by the final remaining abomination. "Out of my way! I have to see Terra-chan!"

Leaping towards the monster's chest he crossed his arms and span. The creature stopped in its tracks as both of Sanji's feet implanted themselves into its chest.

"AVEUGLE RENDEVOUS PILER!"

The creature was still frozen in place as Sanji landed behind it, seemingly unfazed. He leisurely pulled his cigarettes from his jacket, lighting one before raising it to his face. It was only when the first puff of smoke left his mouth that the creature shattered, falling to the ground in a million tiny pieces.

Terra's jaw dropped to the ground. Usopp, used to the inhuman power of his crewmates, simply growled, "Monster."

"Terra, are you okay!" Sanji asked, having somehow dashed to her side within the space of a single moment. "Did that idiot hurt you?" He pointed towards Usopp.

The Titan laughed. "No, actually he helped a lot. You both did. Thank you."

Sanji actually floated for a second. "Wow, she loves me!"

"It was nothing for the great Captain Usopp!"

Again Terra chuckled. "You bet, guys."

She sighed, looking happily at her friends. Things were back to normal. She knew it would take a while to regain the Titan's trust, but she hadn't been abandoned by her friends. They were still a family, and this wasn't the end. She had overcome Slade.

Never before had she felt so proud to be a Titan and a friend.

Next Time: Magic vs. Magic—The Mysterious Bond


	21. Chapter 21

OOC: Since my non-comic-reading proofreader was puzzled by the word, I will explain the term "empath." Raven is called an empath in the comics because she could go inside people's heads and fiddle with their emotions. Though this is downplayed significantly in the series (it was her main power in the comics), it's still there to a degree, and I can always use a new word, so it's in there now.

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 21: Magic vs. Magic—The Mysterious Bond**

The controller hit the ground in pieces. A few wires still sparked in Slade's trembling fist as the last recorded images from Terra's sight flashed across the monitor.

The one-eyed man let the cords fall from his hand as he took a deep breath, trying to release his pent-up rage.

"What's the matter, Slade?" Mother asked. The fiend looked up at the old lady watching him. "Were you expecting to keep her under your control forever?"

Slade huffed a bit. "No, you're right. After that stone's true power was released I had hoped to assimilate her power into it and rid myself of the traitorous whelp for good."

"Then it's just that she overcame your control herself?" Mother's eyes glared down at him. "Surely even you're not conceited enough to think you can overcome the power of the Earth itself."

"Just cursing my luck in apprentices." Pausing for a second, a similar thought entered his mind. "But what about you? Your Ivan didn't fair much better himself."

This time it was the old lady who produced a cruel chuckle. "Ivan and Terra both fulfilled their purpose. The damage they created and endured has fed the Great Power quite well. There was no more need for Ivan after that." Mother's eyebrows narrowed as she continued. "It's actually rather nice not to have him following me like a puppy anymore."

"I see." Slade said. "Such callousness—you're a woman after my own heart. It's a shame. If you'd been a few decades younger you'd have made a good—"

"—Sorry," Mother interrupted, "but my love was taken long before that."

Slade actually chuckled. "You misunderstand. I was going to say apprentice, not lover."

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos." The grey-skinned empath's eyes were closed as she chanted her mantra. Meditation was Raven's only way of keeping her powers under control, and with powers like hers it took quite a bit of it to do the trick.

"Could you stop repeating yourself already?" Zoro grumbled. "It's getting really annoying."

Raven slightly opened one eye, glaring at the swordsman in her peripheral vision. She was sitting cross-legged, but instead of levitating she was balanced across Zoro's three sheaths. His swords were situated in his typical _Santoryu _style—but still in their sheath—and Raven was sitting on them, providing her a mobile chance to meditate and giving Zoro some weight to carry.

"I can't." She growled. "I need to keep my emotions under control, and this is the only way. Besides, I thought you said you needed to train with some weight anyway; I'm giving you what you want, so don't complain about me chanting when I do so."

Sweat rolled down the swordman's face. "I wouldn't if you could chant something different. It's just the damned nonsense words over and over again." Zoro grunted for a second as he lifted his swords above his head—taking Raven with them—before returning to his normal walking position. "Can't you say something different?"

"No, I can't."

Zoro just sighed, and as he released it Raven followed with one of her own, jumping into the air and landing behind her friend. There'd be no way to relax with him around anyway; if anything he was just making her angrier.

The pirate seemed to pay no attention to the girl's annoyance; with his load lightened, he simply started to slash his swords about. They made a whooshing noise as he sliced through thin air, moving through different stances and techniques as they progressed through the tunnel.

"You're always training." Raven observed. "Why?"

"To be the best." Zoro smiled as he finished a step, one of his swords pointed before him. "I have to be the best, and that's all there is to it."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Men."

There was a moment's silence before Zoro formed a rebuttal, but in that moment the Titan's senses flared. "It's not like you're much better, always going on about controlling your emotions and powers. Why do you have to—"

"Shhhh!" Raven interrupted, slipping her hand across the swordman's mouth.

Zoro growled as he pushed her hand aside. "Don't shush me! What, you aren't going to ans—"

"I said be QUIET!" Raven exclaimed in her loudest whisper; however, it was the expression crossing the witch's face that shushed Roronoa Zoro. Keeping her eyes and ears perked for a moment, she suddenly gasped. There was no time to ask questions as both figures disappeared into the floor in a puddle of black.

Only fractions of a second later a thin blade of crimson energy flew through the tunnel, leaving deep fractures in the wall.

Raven emerged about a dozen feet ahead of where they had been standing, within a rather large cavern. A wide plateau of rock rose at least a story above the ground in the middle of the area, and a large recess in the far wall housed one large gear and a myriad of smaller ones surrounding it.

"I could phase through the rock here!" Raven thought aloud. "The Iso Toa's presence has been lifted here, but why?"

"YOU!"

The empath's thoughts were shattered by Zoro's scream; as she turned to see who he was calling to, Raven was only very mildly surprised to see Ian standing on a rock before them.

"Roronoa Zoro, how nice to finally see you again."

"Bastard!" the swordsman predictably called. "Come down here and fight me!"

"Nothing would please me more." Ian smiled. His gloved hand gripped the hilt of his mystical blade as he leapt into the air, and his shaggy brown hair waved in the air around him until he landed before his rival. "But beware, Roronoa Zoro, I'm a lot stronger then I was last time we fought! You will pay for trying to keep the Great Pow—"

Ian's rant was cut off by a bolt of black colliding with his gut. He flew backwards and into the side of the plateau, creating a caricature of himself in the rock.

Dark energy still streamed from Raven's palm. "We don't have time for your stupid rivalry." she growled, directing her response to both men. "Zoro, we can take him down quick if we fight together!"

However, Zoro only held his arm out, pushing the Titan back. "Nonsense. I fight alone."

Raven protested, but Ian couldn't hear their argument as he stumbled from the impression in the wall. "I'd been hoping to save you as a trump card, but there's no way I can fight both of them at once. TASHIGI!"

Pushing Zoro out of the line of fire, Raven then shot into the air as a sword sliced through the very spot she'd inhabited only moments before. Tashigi, Smoker's Marine subordinate whom Ian had captured was back on Ianoa Island, now stood before them. Her eyes glew red and her mouth was firm in resolution; she seemed nothing like the clumsy idealist she normally was.

The green-haired swordsman grew weak at seeing her. "Tashigi?" In an instant all three swords were drawn and pointed at Ian. "What did you do to her!"

The crystal swordsman flashed a devious grin. "Why don't you come over here and find out?"

"As if I needed an excuse." Zoro huffed. "Raven! Take care of her!"

Roronoa Zoro then crouched down and crossed his arms. "Oni Giri!"

Never losing his grin Ian drew Eehuah, and then thrusted it into the ground. "Crimson Elevator!" An unbelievable pillar of red exploded beneath him, lifting the young Iso-jin into the air. Leaping from it and onto the plateau behind him, he then snapped his wrist. "Luminescent Whip!"

The solid pillar of crimson energy suddenly went limp, then snapped forward to follow Ian's whim. There was no chance for Zoro to end his charge in time, and in an instant his feet were ensnared. The whip's owner laughed in glee, but Roronoa Zoro wasn't ready to give up by a long shot.

The pirate went into a dizzying spin; as he spun the energy whip went taut and started to pull him in. There was nothing Ian could do as his opponent was drawn in close. As Zoro moved within striking distance he made his move.

"Karasumagari!" he announced. Zoro's swords sliced through the crimson bindings as he swung his arms in a circular pattern, and the same attack sent Ian reeling backwards. Red liquid leaked from a few shallow slashes on his chest.

Ian was nearly foaming at the mouth. First blood had been drawn, and it wasn't Zoro's! With a hateful scream the Iso-jin dashed forward, and his opponent responded in kind. The sound of metal clashing echoed across the cavern as the two boys attacked with a vengeance.

_'I don't understand him at all!'_ Raven thought. _'Why does he have to be so stubborn! Still, he's right about one thing; I do need to go take care of Tashigi.'_

Raven's eyes looked saddened as she stared at the soldier. _'I don't know what they've done to her, but she didn't do anything to deserve it!'_

Whatever was controlling Tashigi certainly didn't care about the Titan's pity as she dashed into an attack. Using power far beyond that of the Marine's she leapt far into the air; Raven didn't realize she had made the move until the two were already face-to-face.

Tashigi screamed as she swung her sword in a horizontal slash that seemed to part the very air around it, and her opponent only barely managed to duck beneath it. A few strands of Raven's violet hair fell to the ground, but their owner paid the loss no mind as she next span behind another swipe. The sword put a small tear in the empath's cloak, but before Tashigi could attack again she found Raven's leg in her arm.

The Marine tumbled backwards and eventually hit the ground with a thud. Her opponent had already swooped down to the ground, and dust blew from beneath her as she raised her arm. "A swordsman stands no chance against me!"

Raven's hand glew black, and a veil of a corresponding color draped itself across Tashigi's katana. The Titan grinned as she prepared to send the weapon flying far from its owner, but she was only met by an equally devious grin. Raven's control over the sword was shattered as a field of red took its place.

Swinging her weapon from the side, Tashigi dashed forward, but only seconds later she was stopped in her tracks by a field of black. The darkness leapt from the ground beneath her, taking control of the Marine's clothes. However, the girl didn't seem the least bit deterred by her predicament. The red glare in her eyes grew more powerful as a red aura leapt from her body, destroying Raven's telekinetic grip for a second time.

Again the soldier appeared before her enemy, hacking into a wide swipe before following it by slashing from above. A burst of the Titan's levitation sent her beyond the reach of the first attack, and by the time the second tore into the ground Raven had already vanished beneath it.

"So you can nullify my attacks." Raven stated, floating in the air behind her enemy. "They must be controlling you with their Iso-jin magic." The girl pulled up her hood, which hid her face behind intimidating shadows. Her eyes began to glow white, and the trail of energy leaked beyond her eyes and into the air like a trail of smoke.

Tashigi finally noticed her opponent as she moved down to the ground, hovering just above the floor. The force of Raven's power roused the dust around her and caused her cloak to flap behind her. Spheres of black formed around the Titan's hands. "I guess I'll just have to knock you out and worry about ridding their presence within you later!"

An intimidating beam of darkness shot from Raven's hands as she thrusted her arms forward, and Tashigi was nearly blown away even as she blocked with her sword. The katana was completely draped in red, splitting the attack in two. Gritting her teeth, Tashigi slowly moved forward even as her hair and jacket were nearly blown off of her.

With a scream the Iso-jin slave slashed into the air, releasing a wave of red energy that cut straight through Raven's powerful attack. The empath had no chance to move as it slammed into her chest, shredding a hole in her tunic and slamming her into a rock. Blood leaked slowly onto her blue uniform as she struggled to regain her bearings.

Again Tashigi's body had been driven into a charge, her sword pointed forward for a thrust. Raven growled, her eyes arching angrily as her powers again flared. A darkened boulder emerged from the ground, blocking the Marine's path. A second later it shattered into several dozen smaller stones, and the field of black propelled them into the stunned girl.

As the soldier recovered she could already see several more boulders flying her way, but these were easy to defeat. Tashigi took to the air with gusto, and after spinning several times she had sliced Raven's offense to pieces. Upon landing she sliced her sword through where her opponent would have been, but the witch had long disappeared.

It didn't take long to find her, however, as Tashigi quickly found herself standing on a black circle. It erupted into the air, sweeping the soldier into a dark claw that emerged from a giant black raven with glowing red eyes. The red eyes of Raven's prisoner actually grew wide with fear, even if only for a second; moments later a ball of crimson exploded around her, dissipating the Titan's hold on her and even making the dark raven shirk backwards.

The tremendous ball retreated into the crystal hanging from Tashigi's neck, leaving its power only with her katana. Taking several swipes, she launched more powerful gusts of red wind towards her opponent. The projectiles ripped through Raven's astral form, but her true body easily zipped around the rest as she was revealed.

Finding herself falling to the floor, the Marine begrudgingly halted her attacks as she somersaulted into a landing. This gave Raven ample opportunity to strike; her gray arm emerged from her cloak, projecting her telekinetic power upon a part of Slade's mechanical complex.

With a snap she freed the pole from its home, hurling the rod towards Tashigi. The girl swung from below and intercepted the projectile; instead of slicing it, the rod stuck onto the katana. Snapping her weapon free, Tashigi smacked the pole like it was a baseball and it hurled back towards Raven.

A shield of black did nothing; the pole tore through the Titan's defense as if it wasn't there, no doubt because of the Iso-jin energy surrounding it from its short encounter with Tashigi. Raven was hit head-on with her own weapon, and she snapped backwards until eventually she slammed into a rock.

Raven's already angry eyes narrowed even further into an arch as she awoke to the sight of her opponent's charge. "Let's see how skilled a swordsman you _really_ are!"

Waving her hand before her, Raven created a deadly strip of darkness. In rapid succession she shot off several more, much to the chagrin of her enemy. Tashigi skidded to a halt and then jumped backwards as she parried the first blade; knocking it aside rather easily, she then span into the next. Sparks flew for a few seconds as the blades fought until the Marine bent backwards and let if slip over her.

Red energy shot to life around the blade as she pulled herself aright and leapt towards the third attack. With the Iso Toa's power at her disposal a parry wasn't even possible as she sliced through the blade like butter; using her attack's momentum, Tashigi leapt above the final dark attack and soared within striking distance of Raven herself.

However, Raven responded with a rather unusual smile. Clenching her glowing fist and waving it vertically, a corresponding blade of energy appeared—not from her hand—but between Tashigi's blade and her body.

"Let's see you survive that!" Raven exclaimed as her palm suddenly opened; the action set her attack in motion. Blood filled the air as Tashigi was launched backwards, and her flight was only put to an end by a boulder that appeared behind her—no doubt due to Raven's telekinesis.

Dropping her smile, Raven moved forward to tend to the soldier. She regretted letting herself take such extreme measures. With the frustration of this battle she'd _have_ to meditate now, no matter what Zoro did to impede upon her relaxation.

Yet, all traces of Raven's composure disappeared as suddenly as they had reappeared. Tashigi stood easily, as if she had taken no hits. Bruises and gashes from the attacks she had endured marred the girl's body, but the smile on her face and those haunting red eyes showed no sign of pain at all.

The empath's eyes shot open as she instantly soared into the air, the force of her power blowing her opponent away.

"Don't want to stay down? Then let's see how much it'll take before you change your mind!" Raven again turned toward Slade's cluster of machinery as darkness exploded around her. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Pipes and wires hissed and snapped as Raven's power pulled the largest gear from its place. Though it was several times her size, the disk floated before the witch with ease. "Catch!" she cried as it hurled forward.

The force controlling Tashigi had no hesitation as it made her take a stance, holding her blade at an angle before her. Suddenly she span into a blur, getting as much momentum behind her as she could. The soldier's blade met the gear, and amazingly enough, it cut it.

Every muscle in the Marine's now-enhanced body pushed itself beyond its limit as she tore through the projectile, but the force driving her didn't care. It couldn't feel Tashigi's tendons snapping, it couldn't succumb to her fatigue. It only made her grin as she appeared beyond the severed gear, her blade glinting.

Raven lurched backwards, almost as if another thwarted attack pained her. She clenched her teeth, and they grinded together as whirlwinds of black energy shot from the Titan, surrounding what remained of the machinery. Seconds later the entire complex collapsed, sans every single nail and bolt that had held it together!

Moving forward like a tornado, the storm of fasteners was upon Tashigi within a moment. She span and slashed with all her might, her blade moving so fast it couldn't be seen, but it was all for naught. The tiny metal tools tore about her, buffering her petite body from every direction.

Soaring to the ground, Raven actually seemed to be relishing the sight of her helpless opponent. "Are you so hot now? Can you get past me so easily now?"

Tashigi's body came to a standstill, the look her captors put on her face answering with a steadfast "yes!" She didn't even flinch from the never-ending hits as she positioned her sword over her head; a fierce swipe tore through the storm and released another blade of red energy.

Raven screamed as the attack knocked her backwards, and her control over the tools was gone. Tashigi now dashed forward, her speedy swordplay creating a barrage of energy attacks. This time it was Raven getting battered by endless attacks, and any defense she could muster was useless against the Iso-jin magic animating her opponent.

Slashing through the final barrier, the Marine's katana tore asunder the empath's cloak and left a scar across her back. Tashigi smiled smugly as she watched her opponent tumble across the floor and onto her side.

Raven twitched, but only for a moment; she slowly rose to her feet, only to whip her head around forcefully and suddenly.

Rock hit the ground all around the cavern as black explosions dotted its walls. Even the force controlling Tashigi was scared as she started to pace backwards, but another explosion from behind halted her. Again the soldier was forced to stare into the four terrifying, red, glowing eyes of Raven's anger.

It had all been too much for Raven. First she found out they had been harboring a traitor; that Terra had been plotting to destroy them even while they took care of her and treated her like royalty. Then there was Roronoa Zoro—she just couldn't figure out how he could switch from being so charismatically fascinating to being so frustrating and back again so easily.

Finally there was this hopeless battle. Every defense was shattered. Every attack was parried, nullified, endured. There was no time to clear her head, no chance to breath as the waves of hopelessness hit her one after another after another.

It was no wonder Raven lost her head.

"You shall pay for your arrogance!" Raven cried, her voice echoing across the cavern in an endless wave of reverb. Her cloak blew open, but instead of revealing her body it only released a powerful beam of darkness.

Tashigi reeled backwards, but actually managed to land on her feet with her weapon in position. It made no difference, however, as several tentacles of black ensnared her limbs. The energy of the Iso Toa exploded around her—fending off the supernatural attack if only for a moment—before focusing around her katana.

More tentacles shot from the empath's cloak, and while Tashigi fiercely hacked through the first wave the second stretched behind her, targeting the soldier's body. She quickly found herself being squeezed like a boa's victim, and in response the energy that had been focused in her katana spread across her body.

The Iso Toa's influence was enough to burn the tentacles and provide a safe exit. However, with so much less power in the katana, it was now a prime target. Every single dark appendage engulfed the weapon, leaving the power controlling Tashigi with little choice. Though her body didn't have the energy for it, she was again engulfed in a ball of crimson energy. She staggered backwards as the tentacles just shot after her again—even with all her effort, she had only managed to piss them off!

The ends of the appendages drove themselves into Tashigi's body, and the immense damage to her body prevented the already slow return of the Iso-jin protection.

Raven chuckled evilly, malice in her voice. Her inner evil took delight in every attack, in every hit, in every grunt of pain it could get from her opponent. The full extent of the abilities her father gave her drove Raven far beyond the measures she would rationally take; it was about to make her _kill_.

Tashigi's body couldn't take more. Her captor couldn't feel it, but its loss of control was more then enough to indicate that life was slipping out of every wound. If only it could get a chance it could revive her enough for one last stand, but at this rate she would be dead in seconds!

"RAVEN!"

She paused, turning towards the familiar voice. Tashigi's body finally found reprieve as the tentacles halted their attack, shrinking back slightly as their master regained a slight bit of her sanity.

Roronoa Zoro stood on the very edge of the plateau, pebbles crumbling beneath his feet. Two of his swords were crossed, blocking one of Ian's assaults, but he was paying them no attention as he watched the battle.

"You can't kill her!" Zoro cried. "I don't care how you stop her as long as you don't kill her!" Ian pushed in further, but the pirate just pushed him back without taking his eyes off his friend. "I couldn't take it if she died!"

Her tentacles started to go limp as Raven's four eyes stared into the swordsman's two.

"Please!"

Raven blinked, and as her eyes opened there were again only two of them. Her dark appendages dissipated, revealing her body—at least for a second until her cloak again concealed it. Strangely enough, she smiled—if only a tiny one.

"You bet!"

With his pleas heard, Zoro again set his sights upon his opponent; swiping the crossed swords knocked Ian backwards, and as the user of _Santoryu _charged forward the pattern of his three swords drove Ian into a retreat.

Tashigi was already charging, her entire body glowing as whatever force was controlling her vied for one last ambush. Without even turning her sights upon her opponent, Raven disappeared into the ground beneath the attack.

"You're rather clever." The empath complimented from her vantage far behind the soldier. "Coming back from everything I throw, plowing through attacks, it's all a pretty effective way of making me forget what I'm really doing here. Attacking your body is pointless; after all, Tashigi isn't my opponent."

Lowering herself to the ground, the Titan's eyes met with Tashigi's. "You are!"

The Marine took a step forward, but a field of black suddenly rose around her. Another explosion of dark energy resulted in a pile of rocks falling atop the bubble. It was just enough force to hold Tashigi back for just enough time.

"After all, what sort of magician would I be if I couldn't take down _your_ magic?" Crossing her arms, Raven lowered her head and closed her eyes. Magic words rapidly emerged from her mouth as a circle of red appeared around her. Only a few seconds later gusts of red wind blew from beneath the witch's cloak.

The scars on Raven's body slowly closed up, disappearing completely, and only a few seconds later the fabric around it resealed itself. Her shredded cape repaired itself as well. This Titan's reputation as a master magician wasn't ill-founded; she had used Chiyu's Iso-jin healing spell!

Rocks exploded as Tashigi charged through, moving even faster than before. The waves of healing energy enveloped her as well, and the lethal injuries incurred by Raven's wrath faded away into nothingness.

With her opponent growing closer, Raven only had one chance to pull this off. She had no worries.

"Azarath…"

A sphere of black appeared around each of Raven's hands. The healing energy was sucked into these fields like dirt into a vacuum, and slowly their color changed to crimson. Red trails now leaked from the witch's eyes as well.

"…Metrion…"

Throwing her arms back, a raven of red energy exploded behind the Titan. She may have only known one Iso-jin spell—and a healing one at that—but by combining it with her inherent magical power she had made the entire spectrum of Iso-jin ability hers!

"…Zinthos!"

Clapping her hands, a beam of red shot forward like a bolt of lightning. Tashigi took the attack head-on, and was instantly frozen in place. The magical energy coursed through her body, and the crystal around her neck began to levitate.

Raven's eyes narrowed. The source of the power controlling Tashigi came from that crystal. The power within it was tremendous; it was almost as if it had been absorbing the power from her attacks the entire time. Of course, the second the thought entered the empath's mind she realized it was true.

"That explains a lot." She groaned. "So they didn't betray us for no reason, and they didn't just call us here to get Terra." Red energy crackled around Raven as she fit together the pieces in her mind. "But what could they possibly want our energy for?"

She never had the chance to ponder the answer as she felt a surge in her power. Whatever was controlling Tashigi wasn't giving up! As Raven upped her intensity of her attack in turn, she searched for something familiar. The presence she was feeling definitely wasn't one of the Iso-jin she had met, and it wasn't Slade either.

Could it be the Iso Toa had some sort of consciousness of its own? Whatever the answer, Raven realized now wasn't the time. She couldn't let it have her energy, have Tashigi, have this battle!

The witch's astral form released an ear-splitting caw as she crossed her arms, and the energy surrounding Tashigi exploded in a flash. Raven powered down, finally having won this battle. The Marine's pupils returned to her eyes for the first time since having been brought to this world, but she wasn't able to enjoy it.

The strain from being controlled was great on her mind, and the Iso-jins' sedatives were still in her body. Tashigi collapsed.

However, she didn't land on the ground. The soldier's body fell into Raven's outstretched arms. As she looked down happily, the Iso-jin crystal shattered in a flash of black.

"Someone cares a lot about you." Raven said as she placed Tashigi's unconscious body against a rock. "I can't let anything happen to you."

Pulling her hood back, the Titan floated into the air so as to get a better view of Zoro's battle. _'Why does he care so much about her?'_ she thought. _'She's obviously his enemy; and she hated him! It makes no sense!'_

She flinched as Zoro took a hit, but her mind couldn't stop running. _'And why won't he let me help? There's so much about this guy that doesn't add up, and he won't tell me a thing!'_

She rubbed her hands together as her face took on a malevolent smile usually only seen while antagonizing Beast Boy or playing Stank Ball.

"Well, Roronoa Zoro, if you won't tell me I'll have to find out my own way."

Next Time: Driven—Zoro vs. Ian, Round Two


	22. Chapter 22

OOC: Don't want to seem needy here guys, but comments do make this busy author very happy. And a happy writer…hell, he probably goes out and does stuff more, not writes more. Damn. But regardless, comments are appreciated.

Also, I thought I'd better mention that the portion of this chapter containing Zoro's flashback, dialogue-wise, is word-for-word from the manga. It has more effect that way. I don't want to take credit for it (though I wrote the prose narrating it, naturally). Actually, I never have made a disclaimer. So:

I do not own any characters from One Piece or Teen Titans. I do, however, own the Iso-jin and any situations I've put these characters in. And don't expect to see this again, I think they're so obvious that I've come to despise disclaimers. Figured it deserved _one_ though.

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 22: Driven—Zoro vs. Ian, Round Two**

The sounds of metal clashing echoed throughout the cavern. The two teenaged boys each waved their weapons in an ever escalating onslaught of rage.

In Ian's hands rested the mystical Iso-jin sword, Eehuah. The crimson relic's size allowed it to block smaller weapon's assaults with ease, but even with this advantage the boy found himself just barely holding back his opponent's attacks.

_'Increased power my ass,' _he growled to himself in his mind. _'Either this stone is defective or Roronoa Zoro was a lot stronger than I ever gave him credit for!'_

With a katana in each hand and one in his mouth, Zoro spiraled into quick and powerful attacks with his _Santoryu _style. Unlike last time they had fought, however, the Iso-jin seemed not only able to see every one of his moves but could even block them all; though it took every bit of the crystal swordsman's effort, this was still a huge improvement from their clash at Ianoa Island.

Zoro growled as he brushed off a wide swing. _'The bastard's gotten stronger. It's actually taking all my effort to fend him off!'_

Swinging from above, the Eehuah was caught between two crossed katanas. Ian and Zoro's eyes met, each fighter growling as they struggled against the other's strength.

"You can't win, Roronoa Zoro." Ian grunted, panting rapidly as he pushed against his opponent's defense. "There's no way to stop me from meeting my goals!"

"I should have known." Zoro sighed. "Don't you ever get tired of your ranting? I already know what you're going to say! If it's really how you feel, then stop telling me and take action!"

Rage flashed through the Iso-jin's eyes; using all his strength he pushed against the katanas, propelling himself into the air. The Eehuah lit the dark cavern as it glowed crimson. Ian pulled it behind his back as he soared far above the plateau that was their battlefield.

"Crimson Blade!"

A red blade of energy followed the sword's arc, spiraling towards Zoro. With a sigh Zoro cut off its path with one sword; a flick of his wrist sent the projectile to the side and out of mind. Pulling his other arm behind his back, the pirate perfectly parried Ian's attempt at a surprise slash.

"Unfortunately, your tricks haven't advanced any." Zoro smiled. "You're going to have to do a lot better than that," he chuckled before tacking the last word onto his advice, "bastard."

Again Ian reeled at his rival's taunting, and in an instant his opponent was pouncing from above. The green-haired swordsman's arms criss-crossed as his three swords chipped away at the larger Eehuah's defense.

Still seething at Roronoa Zoro's claim, the Iso-jin's powers came to life—matching his renewed anger. _'You haven't even begun to see my tricks!'_

Pushing against one of the pirate's thrusts created just enough room between the two combatants. "Shield!" Crimson energy billowed from the relic and erected a protective wall.

Zoro remembered that attack, and continued to lament his opponent's lack of creativity. Pausing a second, he raised a katana above his head and proceeded to slash the Iso-jin's defense in half.

As the shield shattered into crimson debris, Ian could be seen charging from behind it. He dragged the blade of the Eehuah behind him, and it left a trail of energy on the ground—like a crayon would on paper. He drew within the range of Zoro's katanas, and as the pirate launched two sweeping slashes the sword lit up, creating an explosion that propelled the boy into the air.

Roronoa Zoro grunted, his neck arching as he watched Ian slide above him on a bridge of crimson power. The boy pivoted towards the pirate as he landed, but the bridge posed him a much more immediate threat. Much to Zoro's chagrin red spikes formed from the bottom of the trail, which suddenly lunged towards the ground.

The eyes of the green-haired swordsman grew wide as the attack came within inches of simultaneously impaling and crushing him. Then, just as Zoro should have been a lifeless puddle, the trail stopped in its place. With his katanas crossed, the Straw Hat was barely impeding his impending doom. Sweat poured from his body because of the strain, while the perspiration falling from his face could be more attributed to the crimson spike only inches away from his nose.

Clenching his favorite sword even more tightly between his teeth, Zoro unleashed a scream as he twisted into the air, slicing through the bridge. As he continued to revolve the katanas in his hands demolished the rest of the structure. The pirate landed without a scratch—however, this only lasted a moment.

Ian's malevolent laugh was louder than the sound of Eehuah slicing through Zoro's back. Using his bridge as a distraction the Iso-jin had finally landed a substantial hit, and it appeared to have done its job as his opponent staggered forward.

Blood gushed both from the fresh wound and from his mouth; despite this Zoro didn't lose his grip on his sword or the battle. Planting his heel into the dirt, the pirate ended his stumbling and bravely turned back towards his enemy.

"Coward," Zoro growled, "Attacking an opponent on the back is a sure sign of cowardi—"

The sight of his opponent cut off the swordsman's taunt. A glowing Eehuah was held above Ian's head, and not a moment passed before he swung it into an attack.

"Crimson Blade…" The familiar projectile launched from the blade of the mystical sword, but this time Ian wasn't stopping. He continued his assault, and each swipe of Eehuah unleashed another glowing crescent. "…STRANGLE!"

There just wasn't a chance for Roronoa Zoro to escape, even to counter, as the storm of crimson streaks hit home. They hit repeatedly, without enough space between to do anything except dread the next one. Each blade struck from a different angle, leaving cris-crossing gashes up and down the swordsman's body.

Finally the Straw Hat Pirate couldn't take it anymore. The air around him shimmered as he screamed like a banshee, like a man possessed, and the few crimson blades within striking distance shattered accordingly.

With an opportunity to take the offensive finally open Zoro dashed forward, his arms moving so quickly that they could only be followed by the glinting flashes of silver as his katanas decimated the Iso-jin's attacks. Ian's jaw dropped in shock as his opponent appeared before him, arms crossed.

"Oni Giri!"

The pirate's arms flew to his sides in an instant, leaving crossing slashes across Ian's stomach. Blood filled the air as the Iso-jin stumbled backwards, trying with all his might to move Eehuah to block. However, with his new wound he just couldn't do it quickly enough—Zoro now had the back of both katanas resting behind the one in his mouth.

"Tora Gari!"

His arms snapped down, etching two vertical incisions down Ian's chest. Swinging into the follow-up, the katana in Zoro's mouth finished the assault and turned the attack's handiwork into an 'H' shaped scar.

The crystal swordsman reeled backwards as he doubled over. Blood poured from his mouth as he coughed, and as his hacking finally let up and his eyes opened he only saw Zoro charging in for more—two katanas pointed forward for thrusts.

"Ushibari!"

As the pirate shot his arms forward in small, stabbing motions, Ian finally managed to pull his ancient sword to intercept. Some thrusts were blocked, but with the speed of the former bounty hunter more just slipped past the Iso-jin's defense. The charge continued, with Ian yelping each time a thrust landed. Red stained his tunic as the katana pierced his body, and exploded from the wound as it was pulled out.

With the rapid nature of his attack none of the stabbings were a fatal blow, but with the sheer number of them dotting his chest Ian wouldn't last much longer anyway. Gasping for air between clenched teeth, the boy drove his crystal sword into the ground between them.

Crimson energy exploded between the rivals, sending both swordsmen reeling to opposite sides of the plateau. As smoke poured from their battered bodies they took this opportunity to size up their competition. Zoro looked as if he was mauled, but despite the checkerboard pattern engraved into his torso he stood firm, his breathing only slightly faster.

Ian looked just as bad, perhaps worse. More of his chest was a bloody mess than not, with stab wounds dotting the areas not already sliced open and his entire tunic stained red. Leaning Eehuah against the ground as he pushed himself upright, however, Ian was determined to be just as unaffected as his rival. In only seconds he managed to take the same resolute stance, if only because of the extra power his crystal provided—though Roronoa Zoro didn't know of Ian's boosted energy.

Grunting, dirt exploded from behind Zoro as he again dashed forward. However, while he was still standing, Ian wasn't ready to bring the battle close-range yet. At this distance only _he_ had the advantage. "Luminescent Whip!" he cried, holding his shining weapon above his head. Swiping it forward, a long whip of crimson energy twisted forward.

The pirate brought his charge to an end by plowing his heel into the ground. "And just when I thought you were starting to get a little more creative." Zoro laughed.

"…BARBS!"

Zoro's jaw dropped agape as thorns sprouted down the Luminescent Whip, making it all the more deadly. As the end snapped by the pirate intercepted with one of his katanas, and the barbed energy whip wrapped around it. With Ian's weapon immobilized—for the second—the green-haired swordsman dashed again, nearly reaching the Iso-jin before another snap of his wrist brought the weapon into his path.

Realizing this couldn't be won without some pain, Zoro lifted his foot into the air, stomping down on the weapon. Blood leaked through the soul of his shoe as the barbs shot into it, but he only grunted as his other katana sliced through the now-taut whip. Spinning the first sword, the remains of the whip unwound and hurled towards its creator's face.

The barbs scraped across Ian's cheek, but before any more damage could be done the Iso-jin intervened with his magical sword. Upon touching the remnants of the Luminescent Whip they were absorbed into the blade, leaving a glowing ball of energy on the tip of Eehuah.

Zoro simply sighed, knowing what was going to happen next. A pulsating beam of crimson exploded from the sphere, hurling the pirate across the battlefield.

"Idiot," Ian growled. "You're hurting yourself as much as you're hurting me."

The pirate just smiled, craning his neck until the bones inside could be heard cracking. "Doesn't bother me. I've felt a lot worse than this."

Ian rolled his eyes, spinning Eehuah in his hands before letting the tip rest upon the ground. Again he dragged it before him, but this time the red outline leapt forward, creating intricate patterns across the entire plateau. "Crimson Maze!"

Energy shot up from the pattern, creating an odd structure of walls. The Straw Hat Pirate looked on in amusement at the new obstacle.

"I should have known you'd hide." However, his green eyebrows then arched. "But I'm not some mouse!" Leaping into the air and raising one sword above his head, the resulting slash as he landed shattered most of the wall. Taking a step through, he wasn't surprised as the wall behind him reformed itself.

Looking towards the top, Zoro just sighed. "I guess I'll just have to climb up there somehow and find the way out myself."

However, while the green-haired swordsman contemplated his escape, the wall behind him rippled. Ian emerged from it, the force propelling him towards his opponent. His exit didn't make a sound, and neither did the crystal swordsman. His walls of energy had made a perfect hiding place; what better way to take out somebody as strong as Roronoa Zoro?

However, the nearly indiscernible sound of the Eehuah cutting through air was all the hint Zoro needed. "Tou Rou Nagashi!"

Ian landed with his sword before him, as if he had made a stupendous slash. However, his rival stood behind him with both swords held to his side, blood dripping from them. Cuts on the crystal swordsman's sides exploded, and he fell to his knees. The walls of his maze vanished—leaving only red sparkles that filled the air like fireflies.

"This is getting ridiculous." Zoro sighed as he watched the Iso-jin struggle. "What kind of swordsman are you, attacking like that?"

The Iso-jin trembled, trying to get to his knees as he stared with hatred at his rival's face.

"If you're that weak why don't you just give up?" Zoro asked. "I'm more than willing to deal the killing blow."

Rage brought about Ian's second wind. Energy exploded from Eehuah, propelling him through the air and into the pirate's defenses. Though Zoro dug his heels into the dirt, they only made trenches as the force of Ian's attacks pushed them across the battlefield.

Roronoa Zoro only managed to stop their trip at the very edge of the plateau, and as he stared over his shoulder the sight he saw below was more frightening than Ian's sword pressing into his could ever be.

"RAVEN!" he cried, terrified as he watched a berserk Raven slowly killing Major Tashigi. "You can't kill her! I don't care how you stop her as long as you don't kill her! I couldn't take it if she died!"

He had already lost her once. Twice would be unbearable, _even if_ he couldn't stand her. "Please!"

"You bet!" Raven cried, the call from her friend all she needed to snap out of her anger.

With that done Zoro span, again clashing his three katanas against Eehuah. However, Ian used a low swipe to his advantage, pushing himself off it and into the air.

As he soared into the air he held the Iso-jin relic over his head. It began to glow so brightly that everything else got darker—as if it was sucking in all the ambient light. Ian seemed to levitate for a second before thrusting his weapon below him.

"EEHUAH EXPLOSION!"

As a billowing mass of pure, unadulterated Iso-jin energy shot from Eehuah—ready to detonate on contact—Zoro stopped in fear. That was the attack that stopped him last time—that got Tashigi kidnapped in the first place! No way was he losing to it again!

Holding both swords out to his right, Zoro began spinning.

"TATSUMAKI!"

The pirate stopped, this time with his swords pointing in different directions. The air around him coiled into the sky, the force of his spin creating a small tornado. The volatile energy was swept back into the air by the twister—straight towards Ian!

As intended, it exploded upon contact. The Iso-jin managed to land, with smoke billowing from his body. Soot covered the parts of his face that weren't already soaked in blood, but besides that he seemed unharmed. Zoro raised an eyebrow, until he saw the Eehuah glowing.

"Bastard," he growled, "Can't even take your own attacks?"

"Why should I, Roronoa Zoro, when I can just absorb it and use it over again?" Thrusting his crystal sword's tip into the ground, the explosive energy created a fissure as it traveled towards Zoro.

The green-haired swordsman leapt backwards, and his swords were already behind him as he landed. "Takanami!" Scraping forwards against the ground, his katanas created two waves of silver that arched ahead, intercepting the Eehuah Explosion.

As the rest of the energy detonated—filling the air with smoke and traces of crimson fallout—Zoro leapt backwards. Just like his opponent he was covered with dirt, but he was unharmed.

Ian came charging through the smoke, panting heavily and leaving a trail of blood. Just as the pirate was about to raise his katanas a wall of black rose between them. The Iso-jin collided with it, and as he did the darkness shrank until it had enveloped his tunic, tossing him backwards.

Zoro looked to his side, where Raven stood, her hand immersed in a black flame. "Tashigi's safe." She reassured him, before turning her attention back to their shared enemy. "Shall we finish him?"

"No."

The empath gasped as she was gently pushed backwards. "This is a duel between men," Zoro growled. "You can't be allowed to interfere." Suddenly he was gone, again charging forward until his katanas met with Ian's sword. Sparks flew as metal met stone, and with both of them having used most of their energy they reverted to simple swordplay once more.

Raven sighed and floated into the air, never taking her eyes off the two men. She'd never understand what drove people like this—why men had duels of honor, and why Zoro in particular wouldn't accept assistance. She worked with a team, and part of that team's duty was to stop a conflict as fast and efficiently as possible—before it could hurt other people.

Zoro wasn't doing that! Perhaps pirates worked differently, but this went beyond a difference in working habits, even beyond the grudge these two men held. Her empathic perceptions could feel, even more than their hatred, their determination. Their _drive._

Of course then there was Tashigi, throwing a wrench into everything she knew about Roronoa Zoro as a whole. Perhaps Raven had first been drawn to him because of his air of mystery, but at the same time she wasn't Robin—she wasn't a detective. This was too much for somebody as blunt and straightforward as her to take.

Jumping backwards, Raven floated into the air. She crossed her legs, sitting in the air as she crossed her arms and pressed her fingers together. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes.

"Azarath…"

An aura of darkness crept to life around her body, flickering like an evil flame on the tip of a wick.

"…Metrion…"

It expanded, growing into the shape of a giant raven.

"…Zinthos."

It seemed that the word was barely able to leave her lips, trailing off into a whisper. The raven cried out as it departed from her body, taking a spiraling descent towards the battlefield. Raven's body didn't move as it floated in place; the empath's consciousness was within the raven she had created. It was a technique commonly known as astral projection, and it was the only way the Titan could think of how to crack someone unwilling to do so himself.

The astral form grew ever closer to the swordsman, not letting up as his opponent drew close. The Eehuah was swung, several katanas countered, and as the two rivals struggled a third person entered the fray—but she wasn't interested in fighting. The mind of the Teen Titan entered the body of the Straw Hat Pirate, and with that done his mind was an open book.

_With a loud smack two wooden swords flew through the air, and not far behind was a small, green-haired boy. A violet-haired girl stood before him, one sword poised in her hands._

_"Kuina wins again!" A student yelled. "'Two-Sword Zoro' loses! Zoro is zero for two-thousand against Kuina!"_

_The girl just stared down at her persistent opponent. "Pathetic. Kind of weak for a boy, aren't you?"_

_But Zoro wasn't weak, as his friends were quick to point out. They screamed that he wasn't weak; he was the strongest in the dojo! He could defeat adults! But he wasn't as strong as Kuina, and that was a simple fact._

_"Lost again, eh, Zoro?" his sensei asked—a bit obnoxiously, as he was just watching the battle. "That's odd, since you're actually quite strong."_

_His students glared at him. "Sensei! Are you teaching Kuina secrets because she's your daughter! That's not fair!"_

_Flustered, sensei waved his arms and denied it. Zoro paid little attention, not caring why she was so strong. He threw his weapons to the ground._

_"Darn! Why can't I beat that girl!"_

_"Don't forget that Kuina is a little older than you." His sensei pointed out._

_"But I can beat grown-ups!" Zoro countered angrily. "I'm going to sail the seas and become the greatest sword master in the world! I can't keep losing to that girl!"_

_And when Roronoa Zoro says he's going to do something, he does it._

_Kuina charged the pole, striking it from all directions with her wooden sword. As she strafed to the side, ready for another charge, she heard somebody approaching._

_"Zoro?"_

_"Kuina! I challenge you to a duel…with real swords!" Held in each of the boy's hands was a katana, both jet black. "You're not afraid of real swords, are you?"_

_Kuina laughed. "Real swords? Okay…it's your funeral."_

_A few moments later she was ready, both her hands grasping one real blade, faced off against Roronoa Zoro and both his weapons._

_"On guard!"_

_Both children leapt into the air, true swords meeting for the first time. However, in the matter of mere moments two katanas were soaring through the air. Their owner was on the ground, his eyes wide—his opponent's blade was only inches away from his neck!_

_"That makes two thousand and _one_ times I've beaten you!" she exclaimed, releasing a breath._

_Climbing to his feet, Zoro just glared at his opponent. She kept staring at him, and he didn't like the look on her face. "It's so frustrating!" he exclaimed._

_"I'm the one who's frustrated." Kuina interjected. She only received a blank stare from the boy. "When girls get older, they become weaker than boys. Pretty soon you'll all be stronger than me._

_"Zoro, you're always saying that you'll be the world's greatest swordsman. My dad says that girls can't be master swordsmen." Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued. "You're lucky you're a boy, Zoro._

_"I want to be the world's greatest swordsman too! But I'm starting to get breasts already…I wish I was…a boy…"_

_Zoro's jaw dropped. "What are you crying about? You beat me! That's not fair! Beating you is my dream!" Kuina tried to interrupt him, but the boy wouldn't allow it. "Someday I'll beat you because I worked hard, not because you got weaker! It's got nothing to do with being a boy or a girl! I train all the time to beat you! You're making me look bad!_

_"Let's make a promise to each other! Someday, one of us will be the greatest swordsman ever! We'll fight each other for the title!"_

_Kuina wiped the tears from her eyes. "You idiot! You're too puny!" But only moments later their hands clenched._

_"It's a promise!"_

_"Zoro, there's been an accident! It's Kuina!"_

_The boy just stood there, his eyes wide in shock. His body couldn't even respond. He could only look at the body; even covered in a blanket he knew it was her._

_"She fell down the stairs…she's dead!"_

_Finally Zoro snapped. Running towards his rival, he was held back by one of the instructors. "You made a promise yesterday!" he cried. "You can't run away from your promise!"_

_"Humans are fragile things, Zoro…" his sensei said, his grief displayed in a much more somber tone. Dropping his katanas, the boy just stared towards his teacher._

_He choked up as he tried to make his request. "Sensei…may…may I have her sword?" _

_Sensei looked surprised. "I…suppose so."_

_Only the night before he had met defeat by that sword. Now it was his. "I'll have to keep the promise for both of us!" He clenched the white sheath even harder. "I'm going to become such a great sword master that my name will be known even in heaven!"_

_He still held on firmly onto that sword, which was now clenched between his teeth. If Raven had been in her body she'd have shed a tear. Memories kept flooding into her consciousness. His life had been led following this promise. He'd finally met the world's greatest swordsman—'Hawkeyes' Mihawk—at the floating Baratie Restaurant, and the encounter left him with a scar spanning his entire chest._

_Zoro said he would never lose again, and to this point he hadn't. His life had to be spent winning, getting stronger, facing increasingly powerful enemies on his own—or else he could never surpass Mihawk. Or else he could never keep his promise to Kuina. _

_So she was right all along—somewhat. He was stubborn, he was defying all logic in the fight, but she just couldn't condemn him for doing so._

_And as for Tashigi…it was funny how much she looked like Kuina. They were _identical._ Looking through Zoro's memories of their first meeting, she could see that the Marine just didn't look like her, she acted like her too. She had ambition, and she even had trouble with being a woman swordsman. Of course Zoro wouldn't let anything happen to somebody who embodied perhaps the most important figure in his life!_

_No wonder Zoro hid it all, wouldn't tell her. Raven knew better than most the kind of toll tragedy took on one, and the pain it took to bring it up. She couldn't blame him for keeping it bottled up. In fact, she felt guilty about finding it out herself. She shouldn't go inside people's heads like that—and even when the Titans had aroused her curiosity, or suspicion as in the case of Terra, she hadn't intruded upon their privacy in this way._

_She would have to think of a way to apologize to Zoro later. Now was the time to return to her own body and let Zoro become stronger. Yet, she couldn't leave yet. It wasn't her choice, thoughts still tugged at her—but not Zoro's._

_Ian and Zoro had met just as she had merged with his mind, and as their locked swords struggled she could feel the Iso-jin's thoughts tugging at hers. He fought much like Zoro—he fought for a purpose beyond this fight, this rivalry, no matter what front he tried to put on._

_Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to find out what drove him, perhaps it would even be beneficial to peek into the plans of the Iso-jin, but even if Raven had no reason to look into Ian's thoughts she never would have escaped their draw._

_In the decades since Ivan had been recruited to the Iso-jin it had thrived into a large community. Their home on the submergible ship Ehever—a relic of a better time—was full of people, many originally gang members like Ivan. It seemed that they had taken the brunt of Ianoa Island's tragic lifestyle, and wanted the most to change it. Yet many civilians had been recruited too—after all, on that decaying island heartbreak spared nobody._

_With the growth both of new members and of their subsequent offspring, the Iso-jin's numbers nearly matched that of the civilians. Even with the omnipresent gangs and the pirates that often lodged there the Iso-jin armada could probably easily take control of the island._

_That was why it seemed so strange that they never made a move. Mother kept saying that action would be taken at the appropriate time, but when that time was remained a mystery. Her goal of restoring this 'Great Power' seemed stranger each day—why would she need such a power when they had the already resources to bring Ianoa Island under peaceful rule?_

_Of course, asking questions of Mother would not be wise, and the only other person high enough on the ladder—well, Ivan would never doubt that woman. Nobody would dare question Mother's intentions in front of that man—well, nobody besides one particular woman._

_"Ivan!" she cried, slamming her hand against a table. He kept his back turned to the brunette, trying his best to restrain his anger. "You know we don't have to listen to her! Why don't you _do_ something with your authority and go make a difference up there!"_

_Spinning to face the woman, Ivan's rage didn't cloud his love for her. She was his wife after all, and her beauty hadn't faded one bit since the day he met her. Still, even Isabel's slim figure, glistening brown hair and blue eyes couldn't stop the raving Iso-jin._

_"And why don't you mind your own business and let me do my job?" Ivan growled. "Mother knows what she's doing! The Great Power can bring about a peace the Iso-jin could never do on their own! How can you doubt the power of somebody who has never let us down before!"_

_Isabel bit her lower lip as her eyes began to water. "How can you tell if she's let us down or not if you keep deifying her?" The woman sighed as she walked past her husband and to the door. She had ignored Ivan's lack of ambition when they were courting—as an eager new Iso-jin, she was attracted to the veteran warrior instantly. There was a stoic aura to him, and that along with his good looks had her hooked._

_Still, as of late she only found his willingness to follow frustrating. Isabel cast a regretful glance over her shoulder. "You know Ivan, there's been many times during our marriage when I've thought you loved her more than me, but you always reassured me otherwise." Her hand turned the doorknob, and she stepped into the hallway. "There's no way you're fooling me this time."_

_"Mommy?"_

_Looking down, Isabel saw a tiny boy with scraggly brown hair leaning by the door. It was her son Ian—and obviously he had been listening in on their conversation. "Why were you and Daddy yelling again?"_

_The boy looked through the doorway to his father, who hadn't made a move. Suddenly he was swept into his mother's arms. "It's nothing, honey. Your father and I were just having a discussion."_

_Ian looked relieved, but the feeling only lasted for a second until Isabel again spoke. "Now, it's time to get you packed."_

_Isabel and Ian stood on the dock, the setting sun displaying them as silhouettes. Behind them, only the very top door of the Ehever had emerged from the water—Ivan and Mother stood before it._

_"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ivan asked. He seemed genuinely concerned._

_"Absolutely." Isabel said without a moment's hesitation. The trim red uniforms both herself and her son had worn were now replaced by plain street clothes. "I no longer agree with the ideas of the Iso-jin. This island will not be saved by secretive agendas and inaction."_

_Despite the direct attack, Mother didn't flinch. "If you ever change your mind, my child, you're welcome back any time."_

_Isabel ignored her—clenching her son's hand, she began to walk away._

_Ian panicked. His young mind simply couldn't figure out what was happening. Where were they? He'd never left the ship before! Why wasn't his Daddy going with them? "Daddy!" he cried, flailing until his grip was loose. _

_The boy ran to the edge of the dock, tears streaming down his face. "What's going on Daddy! Why aren't you coming with us!" _

_"Your father doesn't want to help his family, Ian." Ian gasped as he was pulled into Isabel's embrace, and she let her glare meet Ivan's eyes before she started to turn away._

_Guilt tugged at the Iso-jin, and Ivan took a step forward. "Isabel…"_

_However, Mother then pulled at his arm. "Ivan, we have to go. We have to submerge before we're seen."_

_Ivan's eyes darted between the two women. Not long ago Isabel would have considered this the moment of truth, but by now she already knew what would happen. That was why she had left._

_Ivan turned and followed the old woman into the ship. "Yes, Mother."_

_ The boy sat on a chair, kicking his legs as he waited for his mother. The months since their departure from the Iso-jin had been hard, but somehow Isabel had managed to acquire this humble home for the two. Heaving a sigh of boredom, Ian jumped from his chair and walked to the other side of the room, where a blanket on the floor served as his bed._

_Picking up a ball from his bed, he began to bounce it against the wall. Back on the Ehever it hadn't been like this. There were always other children to play with, always a soft bed to sleep in and plenty of food to eat. He didn't like it here._

_"Come on honey, it's time to go." Isabel called as she walked through the door from her room—the only other room in the house. She grabbed her son's tiny hand and pulled him through the door._

_Ian looked puzzled. "Where're we going? Are we gonna see Daddy?"_

_His mother sighed sadly. "No Ian. Mommy just has some errands to run. Very important errands. We need to go."_

_Indeed her errands were quite important. Isabel had spent all the time she could quietly recruiting other civilians to her cause. It was amazing how many of the citizens were willing to risk their lives to make Ianoa Island safer—she only now wished that she had had time to talk to the other Iso-jin as well before she left._

_They had made a plan and taken action almost immediately after joining together. Isabel's players had infiltrated every gang on Ianoa Island, working until they had the complete trust of the organizations. She then had them begin "leaking" information to other gangs. They'd all be lured to one location, and a free-for-all would ensue; she'd make sure that none of the survivors of _that _melee made it anywhere else alive. A little deceit could sure go a long way._

_It was almost time to bring her plan to fruition. Today she'd be meeting with one final agent, finishing the preparations. This preparation would ensure a safe future for her son, and for all the citizens of this island. With the gangs gone focus could be focused on reviving the economy, and with the amount of ships that passed through she had little doubt it could be done._

_Ian's ball bounced off the dirt road and back into his palm. The boy stumbled along the path, pulled along by his mother while he was preoccupied with his toy. Errands had become commonplace to him. Another boring conversation with some old boring person._

_His mother, however, only wished she could be as carefree. The closer her plan got to succeeding, the more dangerous things became. If even one of her spies let information leak then she would be the first person targeted. Isabel regretted exposing her son to such danger, yet at the same time she wanted him to have a part in this. Appreciation for freedom was something she would hand down to Ian._

_Isabel's head darted back and forth as they made their way down the tiny street. However, even her Iso-jin trained senses didn't notice the people slipping in behind her. She didn't realize it until people appeared on both sides of her, filing out until she was surrounded._

_"What do you want?" she growled, hoping this was a coincidence. She'd happily part with the little money she had if this was just a random mugging. However, as the gang members closed in the growing pain in her stomach told her this wasn't random._

_Ian trembled, moving against his mother's leg. "Mommy? What's going on?" _

_"Your mother has caused quite a bit of trouble, I'm afraid." Both Isabel and Ian turned towards an alley, where a mysterious figure spoke. He was a powerful man, clad in red and black and wearing a red eye patch. He held a smaller, frightened man by the collar of his shirt. "Is that her?"_

_The man nodded as if his life depended on it—which it no doubt did. "Then you're free to go—don't cross us again." The man with the eye patch dropped the smaller figure to the ground, where he cast one sad glance towards Isabel before running away._

_Isabel's lip quivered for a second as she tried to gather her resolve. She couldn't blame her agent for his betrayal—with the state of this island preservation of life meant everything._

_"Rodell, correct?" Isabel asked. "I shouldn't be surprised it was you who found out about our plans. You have a reputation for being clever."_

_Rodell grinned. "I have a reputation for many things, woman. One of those things is my intolerance for my enemies."_

_As the thugs surrounding her closed in Isabel actually smiled. "Even if you stop me you won't stop my plan. The gangs will bring each other down. They can't all find out."_

_"You think I care of the other gangs, woman?" Rodell asked. "Some will figure it out, some won't, and frankly it's less competition. But I'll be damned if I let you conspire against my gang and live!" His eyebrows arched and his face contorted as a scream full of malice left his lips. "Get her, men!"_

_The circle of thugs dashed forward, many revealing knives. Tears poured down Ian's cheeks like rivers as he tried to run, but his mother's grip held him still._

_"Stay down!" Isabel commanded. "I'll protect you!"_

_Ian dropped to his knees, curling into the fetal position. His mother leapt above him, whirling into a helicopter kick that sent the thugs flying. Every ounce of skill she had acquired from the Iso-jin became evident as she fought, whirling kicks and sprawling lunges hurling the gangsters through walls. She stayed as unmovable as she could, keeping tight around her defenseless son._

_She dropped backwards, behind a knife thrust, and used her arms to spin her body around. The sweep knocked a few more punks off their feet. Leaping backwards, she sprang onto her hands and then to her feet. A thug had gotten behind her, but smashing her head back she landed a makeshift-headbutt to his temple._

_The young boy couldn't believe his eyes. Not only was his Mommy fighting like that, but she was winning too! A smile crossed his face as she took out one thug after another._

_Then, suddenly, no more smiles were to be found. Ian's ball fell to the ground, its bouncing the only sound besides the fading echoes of gunshots. Isabel fell to her son's side, blood spattering across the boy._

_Rodell pulled the smoking pistol back beneath his coat. "If you want something done right you have to do it yourself." he growled. The thugs who had managed to escape harm now walked towards him, disappearing into the alley behind their leader._

_"Mommy! MOMMY!" Ian shook his mother's body intently, and when she wouldn't wake up he turned his sights to Rodell. "What…what did you do to her!"_

_Not waiting for an answer Ian charged forward, but he only received a boot in his gut._

_"You've got spirit, kid, but it's not going to do anything." Rodell turned, poised to fade away as his gang had just done. "You can't change the world, boy. Look what it did to your old lady. Take my advice and forget this. Become a fruit seller or something, I dunno, just don't be no damn vigilante. If you can follow that I'll guarantee you'll never have to see me again."_

_Ian was still trembling; he now sat in a chair back on the Ehever, covered in a blanket with several Iso-jin nurses tending to him. He didn't respond to anything they did._

_"I found him exactly where you said he would be, Mother. There was no sign of the bastards that did this to them." Ivan and the old woman stood on the other side of the room; the father kept casting worried glances towards his son. "They haven't changed a bit since my days with them. When I track Rodell down he's going t—"_

_"That's not your place, my child." Mother interjected. "When our Iso-jin find out what happened to Isabel it will quell their thoughts of insubordination immediately—and I believe this presents a fortunate opportunity with your son that did not exist before as well."_

_Ivan's jaw dropped. "You—you're going to use her as an example! She was my wife!"_

_"She left you," Mother reminded him. "She left us all. Abandoned us. She didn't learn a lesson you learned long ago, my son: that my way is always the best way."_

_The man grimaced, holding his tongue. Mentally he chastised himself for doubting Mother. His son, however, had a different reaction to the conversation. He may not have understood everything that was going on, but he knew he didn't like what the old hag was saying! His mom didn't do anything wrong, anything to deserve this!_

_Mother's hand on his shoulder finally snapped him out of his trance. He moved to tell her off, but she didn't give him a chance to speak._

_"My child, did you know this island used to be peaceful?" Ian shook his head. "Ianoa Island was once a quaint island, renowned for making swords. Then the Great Power arrived. It provided all the luxuries you've had during your life. It gave the islanders a life more glorious then the ones we have as Iso-jin._

_"Then, thanks to a great tragedy, it was gone. The loss of the Great Power made this place the Hell it is today. If it was still here your mother would still be alive."_

_She paused as the boy looked at her, dumbfounded. "As Iso-jin we work everyday to restore the Great Power. I want nothing more then to return this island to its former glory. My child, it is what your mother would want too. Don't you want to make this island safe, so that something like this can never happen again?"_

_Ian's thoughts ran wild. '_The witch has got a point! Mom was always talking about my responsibility to protect the future! She would want me to stop this from happening again!'_ He then looked towards his father, disgusted by the man's response to Mother's plans. For the first time he could see what his mom had seen when she left this place. '_Still, there's always what she said about my mom. I will save this island and restore the Great Power…but I can't be her slave! She won't control me!'

_The boy was snapped out of his thoughts by a sword nearly as tall as he was falling into his lap. Mother leaned down to stare him face to face. _

_"The blood of the Iso-jin's greatest warrior flows through you. However, your father grows tired of fighting. Wielding Eehuah is your destiny, my child. Embrace your place as the Iso-jin who will fight to restore the Great Power!"_

_Unsheathing his new blade, Ian stared with wonder at the crimson sword. "Yes," he exclaimed, "I will restore the Great Power! Nothing will stop me from making this island safe for everybody!"_

_As he made his proclamation, the last words of Rodell popped into his mind. '_I'll never have to see him again? Oh, we'll meet again. I _can_ change the world, and this vigilante will make sure he doesn't live to see it!_'_

_Hopping to the floor, the Eehuah already glowed in the young Iso-jin's hand. Its power made Ian stronger, while the new drive Ian had found in turn fueled the relic's power._

_"I just have one person to take care of first."_

_With Rodell's murder taking little time, Raven watched Ian's life of fighting to revive the Great Power. Never did he forget his purpose, and never did he let loyalty blind him to his true goal. _

_However, melding with two minds left the empath drained. She could already tell that she had linked the thoughts of the two when she merged, and she needed to get out of there before it did damage!_

Zoro and Ian both reeled backwards as the spark of black that had intruded upon their thoughts exploded into the sky. Raven's consciousness returned to her body, and she slowly lowered to the ground. Exhausted, she tried to catch her breath as she watched the two swordsmen.

Raven could no longer feel their hatred. In fact, the emotions of both fighters had changed drastically. She could feel, perhaps more than anything, _respect._

She could only hope that this meant Ian had seen that Zoro was nobody to fight—that by continuing in this he would be doing what he hated, following Mother's orders instead of his dreams! As for Zoro, she just hoped that he could finally let this fight go.

It seemed like an eternity as neither Zoro nor Ian made a move. Finally, the Iso-jin lifted his weapon.

"Shall we finish this?" he asked as the sword's crimson hue filled the cavern.

Zoro clenched down on his katanas harder, holding one before him and one behind him.

"Lets!"

Next Time: The Survivors—Seeing Through Changed Eyes


	23. Chapter 23

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 23: The Survivors—Seeing Through Changed Eyes**

Crimson energy was ablaze on the Eehuah, casting angry shadows across Ian's face. The Iso-jin's eyes had arched into slits, staring across the battlefield into his rival's with a new admiration just barely resonating.

"Shall we finish this?"

Zoro smirked in turn. He raised his swords, positioning one in front of his body and one behind himself.

"Let's!"

However, just as the two swordsmen moved to finish their battle Raven appeared before them, rising from a black puddle on the battlefield floor.

The Titan's worried eyes darted back and forth between the opponents. She had just been inside both their minds, and in the process had linked their thoughts, if only for a moment. All three of them had seen the tragic pasts that drove Roronoa Zoro and Ian, and despite it all they still wanted to fight!

"Zoro," Raven gasped, "how can you still fight him after all that!"

The pirate just glared at her, not dropping his stance. "It was his idea."

Heaving a sigh of despair, the empath turned her sights to the Iso-jin. "And you? Can't you see that what you're doing is against everything your mother fought for?"

"Indeed I can." Ian replied, lowering his sword. Raven could feel the sudden change in his emotions, and instinctively took a step backwards. As he took a deep breath the crystal around his neck—which had been collecting his opponent's energy as well as boosting his—began to glow even brighter.

"Raven," he continued, biting on his lip, "Though I had been fighting for her all this time, I…I could never bring myself to think of what happened, I…I repressed it all, pushed it to the back of my head! It…it was too painful to think about!

"When you unlocked those memories…it was the first time I'd seen them since it happened! All this time I had been fighting with the understanding of a child, following an agenda set for me by a manipulative old bitch!

"I've finally seen _my_ mother through the eyes of an adult, and now I can understand what she fought for! If she knew I'd wasted all this time fighting for the Iso-jin, accomplishing nothing…"

The crystal levitated into the air, its energy sparking back into the boy. An intimidating crimson aura leapt to life around Ian, the force of it sending debris flying.

"I can't do that anymore! From now on I will fight to save Ianoa Island my own way—and I won't let the old lady's plans do any more harm!

"Hear that, Iso-jin! We're through!"

Finally the crystal shattered, its remnants now nothing but dust. The rest of the power it had provided to Ian hovered around the boy, blazing like a wildfire.

Raven still looked confused. "But, if this is true, why are you still fighting!"

Now Ian smirked. "So that somebody else can follow his dream, of course."

Two sets of eyes now turned to Roronoa Zoro, and the green-haired swordsman couldn't help but feel a little touched—not that he'd show it. "Exactly! We still have to prove who the better swordsman between us is!"

"Of course, I already know the answer to that!" Ian exclaimed, again readying his weapon. "Prepare to lose, Zoro!"

"Bullshit!" Zoro laughed. "I'm going to be the greatest swordsman in the world Ian—don't you ever forget that!"

Both swordsmen exploded forward in one final charge. Caught in the crossfire, Raven was just barely able to levitate above their exchange. Before this would have agitated her—no, enraged her—but now it was different. Now she just couldn't rightly object, and in truth, she was more occupied with what something else completely. They had called each other by their first names!

The energy from Eehuah merged with Ian's aura—the final remains of his life as an Iso-jin—and propelled him forward. It shimmered, surrounding him until he was just a red streak jetting across the plateau.

"Crimson Comet!"

Zoro, meanwhile, pulled both arms above his head and crouched low, forming a somewhat skewed 'v' shape. His fingers were moving so fast that they looked as if they were dancing, and in turn the katanas in both hands span until they were just a blur. Using all of his remaining strength he dashed forward, almost vanishing himself.

"Washi Tsume Kushi!"

The ground around them shattered as their attacks hit home; the two swordsmen didn't even notice as they sank into a crater formed by their own destructive force. Zoro's spinning blades shredded the head of the comet like a lawnmower would grass, and in only moments Ian was within the pirate's sight.

Suddenly the former Iso-jin ground to a halt, and the energy that had propelled him just shot forward. The Eehuah's pure power blew Zoro's arms back, nearly ripping them from his shoulders and almost sending him flying.

Quickly digging his toes into the dirt, Zoro steadied himself and turned his attention back to the battle. Unfortunately, his arms were still reeling from the first strike of the Crimson Comet—and Ian was swinging the Eehuah, ready to take advantage of his opponent's handicap!

However, two useless limbs weren't nearly enough to stop Roronoa Zoro. Shifting his weight, the pirate span his body low, and the blade of the Eehuah met with the blade of his white katana—Kuina's sword—still clenched steadfastly between his teeth.

Sparks flew as the two weapons struggled. The power of the Crimson Comet still raged around them, singeing Zoro's body and sending pain through his muscles. Still, he paid attention to nothing but the blade being parried only inches from his face.

'_You can't win! You're better than a lot of people I've fought, for sure, and for once you even fight for a just cause! Still, you have your entire life to fulfill that dream! If I lose now, my dream is over! I'm sorry, but…'_

The dust around Zoro stirred as he pressed forward, driving Ian's sword backwards.

_'…this blade carries more weight than yours ever will!'_

Slinging his head into the air—with his katana following—the Eehuah was knocked into the air and far away from Ian's reach. The boy's eyes could only grow wide as he noticed Zoro charging forward, with the use of his arms fully restored.

The spinning blades dashed through his body, and only a moment later the pirate was standing behind him. He let his fingers go limp, and his katanas' spin slowed until he finally clenched them between his fists, ending the attack. In that very instant blood exploded from all over Ian, spraying the battlefield like a fountain.

The former Iso-jin collapsed, blood still trickling from the twisting designs carved into his body. Zoro looked over his shoulder at his unconscious opponent with a small smile.

"Good job."

Raven suddenly landed at Ian's side, staring at his body in shock before turning her rage towards Zoro. "Think you could have attacked him a little more? I think he had some skin left."

"Enough," Zoro growled. "If I had held back any he would have won." The green-haired swordsman returned his weapons to their sheaths and then stretched; his mouth opened wide into a yawn as he did so. "Yeah, he was a tough one. I think I need a nap after that."

Pulling his sheaths from beneath his haramaki, Zoro plopped onto the ground and stretched onto his back, laying his sheaths across his lap and closing his eyes. In an instant he was asleep.

"This is no time to sleep." Raven chastised. "We still need to find the others!" Receiving no response, she instead leaned over her teammate's fallen opponent. A circle of incandescent blue grew from her gray-skinned hands, and as she placed her palms against Ian's chest his wounds began to recede. In a matter of minutes his more serious injuries had been healed.

Zoro was brutally awakened from his slumber by a force jerking him into the air; looking around, he could see that Raven had carried him, Ian's unconscious body, and herself into the air on a black disk. Using a sheath as a cane he climbed onto his feet.

"You really are in a hurry, aren't you?" he asked, before glancing at Ian. "You healed him, right? And he still isn't awake?"

"Even without the physical damage you did," Raven replied, "he still went though a lot of mental trauma. It'll be a while before he awakens again." The empath moved a darkness covered hand to the side, and a few moments later Tashigi floated onto their little vessel, surrounded by a bubble of dark energy.

"And yes," she continued, "I am in a hurry. The energy that was controlling Tashigi frightened me; I sensed so much evil that it was overwhelming. And when I was inside Ian's mind, the heartlessness of Mother was just as bad. We need to find the others or we might not stand a chance."

The pirate nodded, but was suddenly hit with another thought. "Um…" Without the proper words, he simply gestured around the cavern walls at the dozens of passageways. "Do you know which way to go now?"

Raven shrugged. "Actually, I was hoping you had an idea."

Looking around, Zoro sighed. "Well, we could go in that one," he said, pointing to the right, "but maybe that's the right one." He pointed to the left. "Then again, it could be that really high one; we do need to go up, right?" He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, whichever one goes up is the right one."

The Titan chuckled. "Of course. I saw in your mind that you had no sense of direction—how could I forget?"

"I do so have a sense of direction." her companion growled. "And as for you going into my mind…"

"I'm sorry," Raven interjected, "I really shouldn't have done that."

"It won the battle, right?" Zoro didn't look upset. "It's just about what you saw in there…"

"Wait!" Raven again interrupted him—though the timing couldn't have been better, it wasn't planned at all. "I can sense people nearby!"

"Will you stop squirming?" Tony Tony Chopper asked. The doctor was in his reindeer form, plodding through the endless passages of Slade's hideout with forced patience.

Across his back lay an iguana. Its feet twitched as it suddenly grew into a basset hound, which let its head dangle over the reindeer's side. The flaps around its mouth moved as it sighed; rolling onto its back it shifted into Beast Boy.

"I'm trying, man," he sighed, "but I just can't get comfortable." His green hands pulled at the bandages encasing part of his torso. "You wrap these bandages way too tight."

"Really?" Chopper's eyes shot towards the passenger on his back. "I didn't think I pulled them any tighter than usual. Aren't you used to bandages?"

Beast Boy smiled. "Not really. I live with a healer." Suddenly his voice dropped into a whisper. "Besides, our show is rated Y-7. They don't usually hurt us this bad."

Chopper was oblivious to his friend's breach of the fourth wall; his sensitive nose had picked up a familiar scent coming from up ahead. Without warning he galloped ahead, nearly throwing Beast Boy off of his back.

"Dude," the changeling cried, "What are you doing!" He held on for dear life as the doctor skidded around a corner, his entire body nearly continuing into a wall. Damn Newton and those stupid laws of physics!

"It's our friends!" Chopper cried as he clomped further down the new passage. "I can smell them! I can smell Sanji's cigarettes!"

Suddenly the reindeer was forced to stop; only inches away from his face stood a man in a black suit. The aforementioned cigarette smoke wafted around them, leaving the impression of a British fog on the roof of the tunnel.

"Chopper!" Usopp exclaimed, moving from behind the cook's back. "I'm glad to see you!" Suddenly he collapsed. "I…I'm dying!"

The pirate shifted to his tiny half-man half-reindeer form, leaning by the sniper's side.

Chopper chattered worriedly, and seemingly endlessly, as he pulled bandages from his backpack. "Dumbass," Sanji growled, "You aren't injured that much."

Feeling pain pass through his chest as he stared at the reindeer's bandages, Beast Boy quietly added, "You might be better off without the bandages."

The shapeshifter leapt backwards as he heard a soft chuckle come from a figure behind Sanji. "You're still as funny as ever."

"T…Terra?"

She smiled, setting Beast Boy's heart into palpitations. It was so good to see her! He had fought all this time so that he could move forward and save her—wait a second, what _was_ she doing here?

"Um," He bit his lip as he searched for the proper words, "What happened?"

Terra's smile dropped slightly as she looked towards the floor. "Slade and I—let's just say we had a falling out."

"And so you think you can just waltz back to the Titans?"

The crew turned, seeing an angry Raven standing behind them. The disk of energy that had been carrying her friends vanished, dropping Zoro and the unconscious bodies of Ian and Tashigi to the ground. Her cloak fluttered behind her angrily as she approached her former teammate.

"You were a spy! You betrayed us to Slade!" Trails of white floated from the Titan's arching eyes. "We decided to trust you when you saved our home, but apparently even that was a lie! How do you expect us to just let you say you made a mistake and rejoin just like that!"

Terra swallowed the lump in her throat, instinctively taking a step backwards. Everything Slade had told her when she seemingly had him beaten echoed in her mind.

_"You have forever planted the seeds of doubt in their mind. Do you think even killing me can undo that, my child? Robin most of all will think it an elaborate ruse of mine." _

Her heart beat faster as she stared into the furious eyes of Raven.

_"There is no turning back! From here you are destined for destruction—everyone is your enemy!"_

"Enough." Suddenly Terra snapped back into reality, and she saw Sanji standing between her and Raven. "You didn't see what Slade did to her!" he growled. "She fought him with every inch of her power and defeated him!"

Raven waved her hand to the side, and a black spark snuffed out the flame on Sanji's cigarette. "Just like she used all her power to help us save Titan's Tower? That _certainly_ didn't make her a traitor."

Beast Boy and Terra both reeled. Usopp, on the other hand, was fed up. "How can you keep saying these things!"

"It's easy. She's a traitor, and I can't trust her."

Suddenly Raven felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Zoro's imposing figure. "Maybe you should just look in her mind?" he suggested, shrugging his arms innocently.

The witch buried her face in her hand. "You're not helping." Still, she could feel the tension in her friends and realized there wasn't time for this. "This argument is pointless," Raven continued. "Terra cannot yet be trusted, and we can't take her with us. It's as simple as that. Now we need to get moving—"

"But—" Beast Boy interrupted the other Titan's sentence, and stammered for a second before continuing with a new resolve. "—while she's with us Terra's a Titan, and we don't leave a Titan behind!"

"No, Beast Boy." The changeling leapt around, surprised, to see Terra walking forward. She was happy that her friends were proving Slade wrong, but at the same time both he and Raven had a point. "There _is_ no reason for you guys to trust me. You should just go ahead."

Raven raised an eyebrow. Was this for real, or just part of the act?

Indifferent as ever, Zoro turned towards a fourth tunnel, the only place none of them had come from. "So this is the way we go then, right?"

"How would you know which way to go, seaweed head?" Sanji asked, lighting a new death-stick at the swordsman's side.

Zoro's face took on the expression of an angry zombie. "Are you trying to start something, love cook!"

"Up. We have to go up."

Yet again the crew was stunned to hear Terra speak up. "I saw Slade's diagram of this place. There are at least three large tunnels leading to his control room. All the passages in this quadrant of the hideout lead to this one—a straight passage to Slade."

"Really?" Chopper asked in awe. He looked up, followed by his companions, to a massive tunnel burrowing straight through the ceiling. They couldn't even see the top.

Dropping her head, Terra continued. "That is, if you believe me."

Again tension bristled through the group, but naïve Chopper was oblivious to it all. "So how do we get up anyway?"

Leaping to his feet, Usopp pulled a gaudy belt from his bag and strapped it on. "With Captain Usopp's amazing grappling-belt, of course!" A grappling hook was attached to the front of the belt—via a long rope. Usopp swung the hook before launching it; as it sunk into the tunnel wall, the sniper began to pull himself up it.

Usopp grunted as he laboriously pulled himself up the rope, nearly slipping several times on his sweat. Suddenly he gasped as he was pulled backwards by a field of black, and landed—on his back—on a giant disk of black.

"I think this is easier." Raven said. Beast Boy pointed at the fallen sniper and laughed out loud.

Looking all around her at the Titan's form of transportation, Terra was stunned. "You…you believe me?"

Raven placed a hand on the earth-mover's shoulder. "I don't trust you yet, and I may not for a long time, but—" Strangely enough, she actually smiled. Terra's admittance of guilt, and the adamancy of the others, was still fresh in her mind. "—everybody deserves a second chance."

Blue energy suddenly emerged from the empath's palm, spreading until it covered the entire disk. Each Straw Hat Pirate and Teen Titan felt some of their energy returning, and some of their wounds even receded.

"That's the best I can do," Raven began, "and we're going to need every bit of that power if we want to win."

"Don't worry," Sanji said, tapping some ashes from his cigarette, "we'll kick all their asses." Hearts suddenly sprang from his eyes. "After all, Nami-san and Star-kun are still out there!"

"Yes! Captain Usopp shall defeat them all single handedly! They'll all fall to the power of Captain Usopp, the destroyer, whom instantly def—"

His rant was cut short by Sanji driving his head into the disk. Chopper sighed, disappointed that he'd never hear the end of Usopp's story.

Beast Boy chuckled. "At least we're all hyped."

Zoro fell flat on his back. Crossing his arms over his chest, he simply mumbled, "Wake me up when we get there."

"Titans! Come in!" Receiving nothing but static, Robin shoved the communicator back into his belt. "Slade must be jamming our signal!" he growled.

Luffy smiled, oblivious to Robin's plight but not to the sounds of his rumbling stomach echoing through the tunnel. "Jam sounds real good right now!"

The boy wonder sighed, and again turned his attention to the dead-end before them. Looking up, his amazing mind tried to figure out a way to climb the tunnel bored into the ceiling. Unfortunately, it was far too high for even him to scale.

"I guess we'll have to turn back." Robin's shoulders sagged as he turned to the direction from which they came.

"Don't be stupid." Luffy said with a laugh. Robin's eyes grew wide as Luffy threw his arms backwards. With a snap they soared forward, scaling the wall until finally his fingers dug into the rock.

Robin waved his arms ahead of him, as if trying to ward off the rubberman. "Luffy, don't…" However, only a second later Monkey D. Luffy's legs had wrapped around the detective. In an instant they were gone, soaring into the air.

"Rubber…ROCKET!"

The only sound they made was Robin's screams echoing up the distance of the tunnel.

"Give up?" Both Nami and Cyborg nodded, eager to get the joke over with. "Zeptak!"

Starfire's two companions heaved heavy sighs, their bodies now dragging even closer to the ground.

"Do you not get it?" Star asked, confused to as why they didn't respond. "It is humorous because a blorgie would never pagio a zeptak!"

Cyborg faked a grin. "Yeah, it's hilarious. Um, I'm kind of joked out now. How about you, Nami?"

The thief nodded vigorously. "What I could really go for," she said, "are some more lights in this tunnel. That Slade has all this money to build a place like this yet he keeps all his passages so dark? It doesn't make any sense."

Raising an eyebrow, the mechanical man asked, "If you had his money would you put more lights in here?"

Nami didn't waste a second. "Of course not! I'd lock it all in a box to keep it away from Luffy, of course!" Suddenly the navigator's face took on a devilish look as she remembered all the money Robin had been waving about at the pizza shop. "You know, you guys should hire me to manage your money!"

For whatever reason, that hit Cyborg funny. "Yeah, like I'd trust our money to you!"

Raging fires of anger suddenly sparked to life in Nami's eyes, but before she could do anything Starfire floated between the two.

"Please, do not argue!" the alien girl pleaded. "I know! To quicken our journey I shall sing a traditional Tamaranian folk song!"

She took a deep breath, and as the first note left Starfire's mouth both of her companions' eardrums contemplated suicide. The tunnel quaked, and if glass had been present it would have shattered—no, this was a sound that would shatter _diamond._

Suddenly the Titan found herself beneath the body of her cybernetic teammate—tackled to the floor. "Did I do something wrong?" she moaned.

"Of course not!" Cyborg quickly lied. "I, I just thought I saw somebody ahead." For added effect he continued, as his arm shifted back into his Sonic Cannon. "There it is again!"

The shot of blue sound waves tore through the wall, leaving only steaming pebbles. The robotic warrior helped his teammate to her feet, but the action left him oblivious to his destruction—and the effects it had reaped.

Nami's eyes grew wide as saucers—and her pupils shrunk to dots—as a light peeked through the decimated wall.

"Guys," she stuttered, taking a trembling step backwards, "I…I think we've found something big."

Through the hole in the wall lied a gaping cavern, with flood lights on every corner. Various pipes, gears, and mechanical tidbits lined the walls, and plateaus of assorted heights changed the elevation randomly. A small recess in the far wall held what probably was the largest computer console known to man, which was linked to several giant viewscreens displaying a diverse variety of information.

Starfire started to float towards the cavern. "Wait," Cyborg gasped, "Don't people usually die when they walk into bright lights?"

"I am not familiar with this custom," The Tamaranian replied. "But I do know that we cannot stay here. We have a greater chance of finding our friends if we move forward and face the danger."

Strolling past the Titan, Nami chuckled. "Afraid, big man?"

Cyborg grabbed his Sonic Cannon with his other arm. "Of course not." The three heroes entered the room, and suddenly alarms blared across the robot's eye. "I'm picking up two heat signatures, dead ahead!"

Those two figures stood atop a high plateau of rock, on the other side of the room.

"Finally, our guests have arrived," cooed the frightening voice of the first figure. Slade cast his sight upon a clock on one of his screens. "And right on time too. Correct as always, Mother."

The second figure's withered face cracked a smile. "My predictions always come true." Mother took a step forward, pulling her Iso-jin crystal from inside her dress.

Slade cracked his knuckles and took a step forwards. "Then I guess it's time to have some fun."

"No."

Hovering above Cyborg, balls of translucent green light came to life around Starfire's palms, and her pupils faded as her eyes became pools of that same green energy. "They are coming down here."

"Then we'd better be ready for a fight." Cyborg said grimly. He turned his head over his shoulder, looking towards Nami. "You going to be all right?"

The navigator nodded. "I'll…I'll be fine." Jumping nimbly backwards, she then ran back to the opening Cyborg had created, bouncing all the way. "I'll just wait back here!"

_'Idiot!'_ she mentally chastised herself. _'How do you get involved in such dangerous adventures?'_

"What do you mean no?" Slade demanded.

Mother chuckled. "Do you really think you can take down both of them together?"

"There's no doubt in my mind," the madman said, "If I try hard enough."

"And I believe you," the Iso-jin continued, "but you can't defeat them the _proper_ way. Only _I_ can do that!"

Suddenly Mother leapt over the edge of the plateau, her brittle gray hair blowing behind her as she plummeted through the air. As she grew closer to the ground light emerged from her crystal, bathing her in a blinding crimson hue.

She hit the ground only feet away from the two Titans. "Don't worry, Slade! You'll still have your fun!"

Slade raised an eyebrow. His fun could wait—he had to see what she had planned now. How could somebody of her age make that leap? And her voice—it sounded _different._

"Hello, Teen Titans. How good to see you again."

Cyborg looked bewildered. "Do…do we know you?"

"I…I believe it is the old woman," Starfire stuttered, "but she no longer looks like she has very much of the…old."

Mother emerged from the aura of the Iso Toa's power, curling a strand of black hair between her fingers. Her back had straightened, and her wrinkles had disappeared as if she had been ironed out. Sagging parts had tightened into a figure with curves like a long country road—and in all the right places.

The not-so-very-old woman took a deep breath as she sauntered towards her opponents.

"Ah, how nice to be young again."

Next time: The Final Stage—One Step Ahead in Time


	24. Chapter 24

OOC: Hi! Sorry a new chapter took too long; a combination of spyware and a fungus in my hands took a toll on my writing. Still, this story will continue, and here's a new chapter!

Two notes: one, all my understanding of chi comes from DBZ. Two, Warp is the villain in the Teen Titans TV series who accidentally took Starfire to a tragic future.

and yes, Mother is a character whose philosophy on life I completely disagree with.

Enjoy, and _pleeease_, reply to tell me how I'm doing! I live off replies; they're my cocaine! Thanks!

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 24: The Final Stage—One Step Ahead in Time**

Mother stood with a smug look pasted across her rejuvenated face, her shapely hips providing a perfect place for her hands to rest. Those present still looked on in amazement at the Iso-jin founder's new appearance.

The old woman was no longer old. A flash of crimson energy had seemingly transformed her into a younger, more beautiful Mother. She was relishing the shocked expressions of her opponents, confident that it was only the beginning of the surprises.

Cyborg's mouth was wide open, his eyes twitching a bit. "She's…_hot!_" Suddenly he squirmed as if trying to rid himself of the thoughts. "That's just not riiiiiiiiight!"

Starfire's glowing eyes revealed a very different reaction. "You are that evil woman that made my friends fight us!" As memories of her battle with Tank and Swifty passed through her mind the Starbolts on her hands grew even larger, green sparks sizzling from them. "You shall pay for your treachery!"

The alien girl's arm sped forward in a blur, unleashing a small volley of deadly green energy blasts. However, Mother countered in one decisive motion; the Starbolts collided with a wall of white, and the explosions from the opposing forces ripped through the room.

A white flame burnt in the palm of the Iso-jin's hand; her curved fingers resembled a hawk's talons as the embers whipped about them. Starfire's next round of bolts fizzled out in her hand as she gasped in shock. Cyborg, meanwhile, was already scanning through his databanks, trying to match the frequency of her energy.

"What was that?" The mechanical man asked as his search came up blank. Chuckling, Mother clenched her fist; the flame extinguished, leaving only a faint halo surrounding her hand.

"It goes by many names," the Iso-jin began as she pulled at a lock of her hair, "but I believe you'll be most familiar with the Chinese term: _chi_.

"Every action we take, from the faintest of breaths to the highest of leaps requires energy. This energy is our chi. We don't even realize this force behind all of our actions, but those of us who are more perceptive, diligent, powerful, we've learned to manipulate our chi."

Mother moved her stance sideways, lashing her arm before her. "We can focus it to an arm to enhance our punches, channel it through our legs to supercharge our jumps, even…"

Suddenly those same white flames erupted down the length of her arm.

"The most talented of us can even expel our chi from our body, focusing it into a beam." A wry grin crossed across Mother's lips. "I'd wager it's more powerful than even your blasts, girl."

With a chiming sound Starbolts leapt to life on the Tamaranian's hands. "I do not believe any wager coming from you. You are lying, as you always do!"

"And even if you aren't, you're still overlooking one major flaw." Cyborg grinned as he continued. "If every action we take consumes chi, then I'd assume that the more you use up the more tired you get. You can't fight long at all, can you?"

Mother lowered her head, still not losing her grin. "Very true. And focusing chi into a physical entity consumes even more. Quite a good observation, Cyborg."

"Then this won't last long at all." The Titan aimed his Sonic Cannon forward, the whir of his sound waves filling the cavern as it charged. "So I'll just get it out of the way now: Booyah."

"Such a confident boy." Mother next stretched both arms to the side, never raising her eyes. "Too bad it has no basis. You should know the best fighters know their weakness and find a way to cover it!

"Long ago I ate a Devil's Fruit called Yoken Yoken. With it I can see the future, as far ahead as I like. I already know everything that is going to happen. I've been capable of manipulating all of you, because I've seen everything that you'll do! I guarantee you, everything that happens in this fight happens because I want it to!

"Yoken Yoken: Thirty Seconds…"

Suddenly she crossed her arms and snapped her palms back, finally raising her head.

"…PARALLEL RUN!"

Both Titans braced themselves, but over their crossed arms they noticed that nothing had happened. The Iso-jin was unaffected.

A laugh exploded from Cyborg's lips. "What? Did your brain stay old and senile while your body got younger?"

The woman didn't flinch. "Laugh while you can, Cyborg." Mother could see that her mechanical opponent wasn't worried at all; however, at the same time she could already see him shocked at her abilities. "In thirty seconds there will be nothing even remotely funny! The fight starts now!"

Dust exploded from behind the Iso-jin's heels as she shot forward. However, her charge only lasted a moment as she was intercepted by a flurry of Starbolts. The Tamaranian swept down low, launching her luminescent projectiles at nearly point-blank range.

Never losing the smug smile planted bluntly across her face Mother swerved like a drunk driver, only her erratic movements were actually brilliantly planned and executed. The green blasts all missed her, zooming past her with only millimeters between them.

Starfire screamed in frustration, unleashing a powerful Starbeam from her eyes. Mother clapped her hands, intercepting the Titan's attack with a wall of chi. As she retracted her energy she wasn't surprised to see the alien girl's leg arcing through the air, a kick aimed for her neck.

The ground cracked beneath the two femme fatals; however, Mother's neck didn't follow suit. Starfire's leg was held firmly in the elder woman's hand, immobilized. The Titan gasped, struggling to free her leg.

"Surprised? After all, you have the most strength of any Titan, yet here I am holding you back like you're a baby." White sparks flew from the woman's arm. "Just a benefit of being able to focus my chi, I'm afraid. Told you this would be your downfall."

Suddenly the Iso-jin flipped, ironically plowing her foot into Starfire's neck and downing the warrior. As she landed she held the sparking arm to the Tamaranian's face. Star didn't even have a chance to react as she was swallowed up by a billowing explosion of chi.

Not even moving her gaze from the wreckage Mother back flipped; a blue and white beam of sound waves ripped through the spot where she had stood. Cyborg charged from behind, but as his opponent landed she simply pivoted on her heel, catching the mechanical Titan's punch in her palm.

"I wanted a high five," she quipped, "not a pound." The Iso-jin twirled into a punch, and despite Cyborg's best attempt to block it, she somehow completely bypassed his guard and plowed her fist into his chest.

The half-robot reeled backwards, stunned at the formerly old woman's strength. She had dented his chest-plate! However, this only intensified his desire to pound the pretty out of her—after all, it didn't belong there in the first place! Boosters on the soles of his feet flared, propelling him back into Mother's personal space.

Using the force from his boosters Cyborg span into several stupendous punches, but they were to no avail. Mother easily weaved beside several before somersaulting above the final punch. She chuckled as she hit the ground with one sparking leg—the force of her supercharged leg pushing against the floor sent her soaring towards the ceiling.

The floor exploded where Mother's chi-backed leg had torn into it, buffeting Cyborg in dirt and debris. With her opponent distracted, the soaring Iso-jin had no problem going on the offensive; with pinpoint accuracy she lashed her arms, and several small shots of energy leapt from her palms and tore into the ground below.

Meanwhile, Starfire finally managed to pull herself to her feet. Steam poured from the young fighter, who was still winded from the massive explosion of chi she had endured. As her blurred vision finally began to focus she watched her opponent land gracefully, and again start pulling at a strand of her black curls.

"What sort of trickery are you using?" Starfire demanded. "There is no way you can dodge all of our attacks like this!"

Suddenly a boulder was tossed aside as Cyborg emerged from the damage the Iso-jin had created. "Not only that, but you knew exactly where I was going to block and managed to get around it!"

The hair fell from Mother's fingers as she instead pulled on the crimson crystal suspended around her neck. "This stone grants me direct access to the Great Power stored within the Stone of Iso Toa. With that power I was able to restore my body to its youth, when my energy was nearly boundless!

"With this renewed stamina comes increased chi! Now my greatest weapon is available to me in abundance!

"However, as Cyborg mentioned, using my chi in this manner also puts me at risk of completely running out of energy! Therefore, I use my Yoken Yoken ability to get around my weaknesses! Using my Devil's Fruit powers I gazed thirty seconds into the future, then set a parallel run! I am seeing both the present and thirty seconds forward at the same time, allowing me to avoid getting hit and land my attacks with the utmost efficiency!

"This is the three part fighting style that allows me to win any battle—the fighting style I developed for my love! There's no way you can defeat me now!"

Nami again peeked her head from behind the rock she was using as a shield, and again cringed as another white flash immobilized one of her friends.

_'Damn you Nami!'_ she yelled in her mind. _'Your friends are getting pulverized and you can't do a thing to help them! You told yourself you would do something to help today, and there's no better time than now!'_

The pirate's fist clenched. _'After all, I may be not be a fighter, but that doesn't mean I'm useless!'_

Nami's skill as a navigator came naturally, and thus her abilities in mapmaking and weather predicting, but her adeptness as a thief was self-taught. She learned to steal by necessity, forced by tragedy, but in time it came to be something she truly enjoyed; and when the Straw Hat Pirates weren't on a ship, it became her greatest asset.

The girl became a barely visible streak of orange and white as she dashed into the cavern and behind another rock. There she paused for a few seconds, bouncing lightly on her toes as she waited for her friends' movements to again distract Mother. Sure enough, a blast of chi soon lit up the cave and again Nami was off.

With the intensity of the fight between the Iso-jin and the Titans there was no chance of Nami being noticed; in a matter of minutes the shapely pirate was only feet away from the pedestal holding the Stone of Iso Toa. She paused for a second, stunned by the beauty of the red light shining from the gem.

_'Come on Nami!'_ The navigator slapped herself, snapping the trance the jewel had put on her. Then she simply stared at her hand, stunned. _'No wonder Luffy and the others are so scared of me! That hurt!'_ Of course, she didn't let the thought linger, and as the red handprint on her cheek faded she inched closer to the relic that had caused all this trouble.

_'But then again, if this stone hadn't caused all these problems we never would have met the Titans,' _she thought with a sigh. Her tiny hand moved until finally the Stone of Iso Toa was within the thief's grasp. _'I don't want us to split up.'_

"Somebody thinks they're better than they are."

The navigator gasped loudly, leaping backwards in shock. Her grip on the stone lost she landed on her butt, staring up into the one glinting eye of evil incarnate.

"S…s…s…"

Slade walked past the Iso Toa's pedestal with a slow, menacing pace. "A master thief is nothing against a criminal mastermind!"

Even as she hopped to her feet Nami's eyes were wide in fright, so large they seemed disproportionate to her face. In an instant the middle segment of her staff was spiraling through the air—with the other two parts already in her hands—and she snapped the three together, sliding her grip down the weapon until she was holding it like a baseball bat.

Still, no matter what offense she put up it couldn't hide the fear in her eyes.

"Amusing." Slade's hand passed his belt, pulling his staff from its pouch. As it extended to its full length he tapped it in his palm, the slow monotonous sound eerily resembling a metronome. "Humor me some more."

Gritting her teeth so hard that sparks almost flew—leaving her to hope Chopper knew dentist skills as well—Nami span like a helicopter blade. With a small movement of his wrist Slade twirled his staff in the path of his opponent's, perfectly parrying the assault.

Despite the fact that Slade barely moved, the force of his block still sent the navigator reeling backwards. Cocking his head to the side the madman simply sighed, "Disappointing." Suddenly he tossed his staff into the air, and caught it between two fingers, like a cigarette.

"This should even the odds."

Nami growled as she regained her footing, a strand of disheveled orange hair falling across her face. "Man, you're such a bastard!"

Then she was off. With a scream she appeared above the fiend, but her vertical attack just bounced off his defense. Despite Slade's staff being held in only the slightest of grips, his monstrous battle prowess didn't drop at all.

"You think you're so tough, but I'm just a weak little girl!"

Dust exploded from behind the pirate's feet; pushing forward as soon as she landed, Nami now targeted Slade's legs. Again staffs met, but they squared off only for an instant before she was pushed to the side. Bouncing slightly on her heels the thief suddenly thrusted her weapon forward, its edge aimed for her opponent's crotch.

"All men are the same! There's always one way for a woman to take you down!"

However, Nami could only utter a startled cry as her staff was caught in Slade's palm.

"This isn't even funny anymore." Slade moved his arm forward, the force of it literally blowing his opponent away. Before the girl could recover the villain exploded into a prodigious dash. He swung his weapon three times; each swipe was faster than the eye could see, leaving Nami to witness what looked like her staff shattering completely on its own. The three portions of her collapsible pole spiraled out of her line of vision.

Slade returned his staff to his belt, leaving Nami's knees to grow weak as her shapely legs slumped outwards. With a whimper she collapsed to her knees, folding her hands before her face as if offering a prayer.

"Please don't hurt me! I'm just a weak, defenseless little girl! I don't even have a weapon!"

The eyebrow of the Titan's archenemy just arched as his one eye stared at the girl disdainfully. "Exploiting your sex appeal to confuse your opponent or win his sympathy. I can see how your fighting style would be effective against some, but it's useless against me!"

Nami's head snapped up, tears flooding her cheeks like her eyes were Niagara Falls. "Please! Don't you have any mercy! At all!"

Slade wasn't a man to be swayed by the words of others, but he had to admit she had her uses. "There's no reason to kill you yet. You'll be more useful to me alive."

Suddenly Nami's sorrowful expression snapped into a grin as her fingers curled eagerly into a fist. "Sucker!" In a streak her fist flew forward, landing between Slade's legs with a truly sickening crunch.

However, the target of every man's nightmare didn't even flinch. "You were right. You _are_ weak."

With a grip like a vice Slade took hold of her arm, pulling Nami to her feet and pulling her arms behind her back so that she was facing away from him.

Despite her situation, Nami couldn't give up. Her hands were amazingly close to Slade's belt. There was still a chance she could help somehow!

Her eyes shot even wider as Slade's fingers dug into her arm, leaving marks that would likely last for weeks. "Now, I have to prepare my bait."

The two Teen Titans stared with jaws agape at the explanation of their opponent's fighting style.

"The fighting style you developed for your love?" Cyborg echoed, stupefied. "Please tell me you weren't old at the time."

Meanwhile, Starfire's memory brought to her attention her own adventures in visiting the future. "Again with the lies! I know the future can be changed. Every time we make the decisions we change our future! You cannot predict the path we will take!"

This elicited a laugh from the aged Iso-jin. "My dear, sweet, naïve child. You know nothing of the future, of the world around you! We may think we control our own destiny, but the decisions we make and even those perceived futures we see are all fated to happen!

"Everything that will happen can be predicted through my Yoken Yoken! There's nothing I've ever seen that hasn't come to be, even in my decades of life! This unyielding line of fate is what's allowed me to manipulate you all to this point we find ourselves at today!"

Cyborg waved his arms in front of him, exclamation points leaping to life in his bionic eye. "Wait wait wait wait wait. If everything we do has been fated, why do you need to manipulate us? You're not making any sense."

Raising an eyebrow, Mother countered, "It's perfectly logical. Maybe your metal brain just can't comprehend it. I was fated to know of the future so that I could bring it into being! _I_ am the catalyst the fates chose to restore the Great Power!"

The mechanical Titan rolled his eyes. "Ugh. You're as deluded as Warp."

Starfire's eyes again lit up as she processed the information; she quickly appeared at Mother's side leaving a trail of green behind her.

"On my planet we do not believe in this 'fate.'" The Tamaranian began. "We believe in 'dremkas': We follow our first instinct, knowing that it is what we truly desire. This does not allow us the luxury of blaming the 'fate' for our mistakes; the only blame lies on our actions!"

Mother tilted her head, allowing her raven colored locks to fall across her face as she laughed at her opponent's philosophy.

This, of course, only served to enrage Starfire. "Was it this fate that caused you to make our friends attack us? To lie to us!" Balls of shimmering green energy leapt to life in the palms of her hands. "This is no reason be doing these evil things! I no longer want to hear your nonsense!

"You are a chlorebag and you will be defeated here!"

With a scream of rage and Tamaranian insults Starfire unleashed a line of Starbolts; seemingly never off guard, Mother weaved past them and leapt above a beam from her opponent's eyes. Chi sparked around her feet, allowing her to momentarily slide down the projectile.

Having used the Titan's own attack to draw herself close, the Iso-jin gathered energy about her fists; Starfire followed suit, using her natural weapons instead as brass knuckles. Sparks flew as they exchanged blows, the force behind their attacks keeping Mother airborne, but just as the elder woman moved to take advantage of an opening she was hit point-blank by another eye-blast.

However, this time the attack was rendered useless by a body-hugging shield of energy Mother had erected around her tiny figure. She seemed almost weightless—floating like an astronaut—as the Starbeam pushed her across the room. With a snicker the formerly-old lady flipped upside-down, unleashing a small burst of chi from her feet that easily propelled her to the floor.

"Still firing your silly beam?" Mother asked the shocked Tamaranian. "I knew it. Looks like you'll never be able to escape my next attack!" Holding both arms into the air, the chi surrounding her body exploded like a cannon and hit Starfire like the nuke did Hiroshima.

Not even taking her sights off the other girl, Mother's aura flared to the side and deflected a blast from the other Titan's Sonic Cannon.

"You can't really believe this fate nonsense, can you?" Cyborg asked as he hurled punches. With her usual panache and style the Iso-jin founder whirled between them, not letting allowing a grazing blow.

"What do you think?" Mother panted as she sidestepped out of the way of a straight. "Isn't it obvious?"

Grunting, Cyborg span into a low sweep that—of course—his opponent easily leapt above. "Okay, let's say you do, and you really can see all. How does this battle turn out in the end?"

Pulling herself out of the mechanical man's range of attack, the Iso-jin again laughed. "The end? In the end…you're all dead, of course!"

"Wrong answer!" Cyborg exclaimed as a hatch in each shoulder popped open, revealing a twin set of flood lights. Beams of light capable of illuminating an entire ocean flashed from each; they only shone for a moment before the bulbs burnt out, but that was more then enough for the Titan's desires.

"I see. Blinding me. That would normally be quite unexpected, if I do say so myself." Unfortunately, as Cyborg finally saw his opponent again it was only he who was surprised. Mother held her hands over her closed eyes, completely shielding herself from the flare. "If you don't believe me yet then you're more thick-headed than I thought."

The stunned disbelief of the Teen Titan was just what Mother needed, and a duel blast tore into the metal man. However, his right forearm blew past the wreckage, propelled on its own by rockets. Mother twirled into the air and finally gripped the hand in her own—with her chi-supercharged grip, however, she was easily crushing Cyborg's limb into scrap metal.

With panic evident the end of his fingers folded back, boosters flaring to push the flying arm out of her reach. Only a second later, however, Cyborg's other hand latched onto Mother's arm; only this one was still attached to its owner by a long steel cable.

The wire retracted with a whir, pulling the Iso-jin closer to her opponent. Meanwhile, Cyborg's shoulders popped open, revealing a full arsenal of missiles. Of course, Mother was ready for it. She grabbed the cable and pulled herself forward while kicking off the floor, and almost instantaneously she was above him.

"Let's see how thick that head of yours truly is!" The woman's forehead started to shine as chi collected in it, and with an almost literally skull shattering thud she head butted the half-robot. A mixture of blood and oil exploded from Cyborg's throat as he reeled backwards into the cavern's wall—which collapsed around him.

Mother stood alone, proudly unharmed, staring at the chaos around her. "C'mon, who's going to get back up first?" Suddenly she laughed. "Wait, how stupid. I already know the answer, of course!"

The flight of Luffy and Robin had not yet ended, so of course the Boy Wonder was still screaming.

They still soared up the massive shaft, the rubberman's arms flailing behind him and drool falling from his mouth from the force of their flight. Still wrapped between the pirate's legs, Robin finally managed to force one of his eyes open—only to be greeted by the sight of the ceiling barreling dangerously close to them!

Suddenly he was flailing like a fish until, gaining his composure, he noticed that the wall on one side had opened into a doorway. Grabbing the rubber legs of his companion Robin pushed out of his grip and through the hole. The Titan tumbled as he hit the floor, and upon regaining his footing turned to see what happened to Luffy.

He could see rocks falling down the tunnel, but Luffy wasn't with them. "Luffy?" Knowing he wouldn't receive a response almost as soon as he asked Robin peered into the shaft, and upon looking up noticed the pirate hanging from the ceiling, his head firmly stuck in the rock.

"Brilliant," Robin sighed as he grabbed the rubberman's legs. He pulled with all his might until finally, with an odd pop, Luffy was freed. The rest of his rubber body retracted, sending both boys soaring backwards.

For the second time in mere minutes Robin pulled himself to his feet while Luffy, still on his butt, simply fiddled with his hat until it was to his liking.

It was during that one moment of relative peace that several explosions rocked the cavern. Both heroes leapt backwards to avoid the falling boulders, and as they saw through the barrage the sight of Starfire and a stunning young woman exchanging blasts greeted them.

Robin's eyes shot open as one of those white beams tore into his teammate. "Starfire!" he cried as he rushed forward, but his charge was cut off by several explosive disks whirling to the ground in front of him. A few more exploded besides Luffy, completely boxing them in.

"Robin," Slade cooed as he landed before the two. "It's about time you arrived. I was growing bored."

The Boy Wonder's demeanor changed completely as he laid eyes on his arch-enemy. "Slade," he growled as his pupil-less eyes arched into angry slits, "this ends now."

The masked man sighed. "What? No puns? I sent you an invitation; I thought you might say something about 'crashing my party.' You're too serious for your own good Robin."

Teeth clenching, Robin moved forward, but was interrupted as Luffy rose to his feet. "I remember you!" the pirate exclaimed. He smiled as he cracked his knuckles. "I still have to kick your ass."

"As yes, the rubberman. There's no way I could ever forget you either." Slade's fingers passed a button on his belt, and lights flashed to life in an alcove far above them. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. With such great prospects ahead of me, I can easily forgive your earlier impediments to my plans. I can't afford another fight that I can't win."

Waving his arm towards the alcove, both Luffy and Robin were shocked to see Nami, bound and tied to a strange device. Two poles rose from the ground, a gear attached to each; Nami's arms were bound to the top gear, which was turning right, while her legs were tied to the left-turning bottom gear. The girl started screaming, but her panicked cries were only masked by the gag in her mouth.

"You bastard!" Luffy roared as he charged forward.

"Now now rubberman, mind that temper." Slade lashed his other arm to the side, an ominous button emerging on a switch from his glove. "If you lay a hand on me I'll detonate that device. Right now you have the chance to save her from being ripped in half, but you'll never be able to put her back together after she's blown to bits."

Luffy moved to say something, but was pushed aside by his friend. "Go save her, Luffy," Robin said solemnly. "I can take care of this guy."

The Straw-Hat Pirate was off in the lash of a rubber arm, leaving the Teen Titan and the criminal mastermind in a fierce stare down.

"Now Robin," Slade began in his eerily calm voice, "since when have you ever been able to 'take care' of me?"

"Since you gave me time to prepare," the Titan said as both hands lashed past his belt, sending half a dozen silver balls bouncing across the floor. They detonated, and the smoke contained within consumed the two fighters.

Slade was only left to ponder his opponent's position for a few seconds before several explosive disks soared towards him. He readied his staff and, using his super-human abilities, swatted each projectile from the sky. The force of the menace's swings blew away Robin's smokescreen, revealing the boy hurtling towards his opponent from the air, staff raised far above his head.

With a tremendous scream Robin attacked, but his assault was simply blocked. Staffs squared off for a second, but as he pushed himself backwards and away from the stalemate he dropped a blue disk. There wasn't a chance for even Slade to intercept it, and as it landed it covered the floor with a coat of shimmering ice.

The ground beneath him was frozen, leaving Slade with no way to safely make a move. Snapping his staff in half he jammed its splintered edge into the ice—hoping to vault his way out—but by then two Redbird projectiles had already whizzed past his head and into the wall.

Those Redbirds were connected to powerful grappling launchers via zip lines, and as the launchers retracted their ropes they pulled Robin airborne. Two steel-toed boots tore into the face of the immobilized terror with a tremendous crack. The leader of the Titans landed with a smug smile on his face and turned to see his opponent's response.

Slade turned to show Robin his face; a giant crack ran diagonally across his entire mask, nearly severing it. However, unlike the last time Robin had damaged his mask, Slade seemed unaffected.

"So, you put your preparation time to good use," Slade said, almost sounding like he was smiling. "However, so did I."

Suddenly Slade was in the air, and Robin had no time to do anything but block. Somersaulting, the fiend's outstretched leg tore through the boy's crossed arms and sent him stumbling backwards; his opponent was already rushing into more attacks, tagging Robin's shoulder and side with two punches.

Robin winced in pain, unusually hurt for somebody so used to Slade's techniques. More punches soared towards him but this time the Boy Wonder was able to go on the offensive, swiping several aside and ducking below a spinning kick. As he leapt out of his squat he unleashed a kick of his own, but Slade turned aside and instead grabbed the boy's leg.

Even though he was still stumbling after being tossed aside like garbage, Robin had the opportunity to throw a few punches. Slade's hands were a blur as he knocked them aside, until he finally caught one in his palm. Using this to his advantage Robin charged forward, and with a scream worthy of a martial artist of his caliber hurled a hook into the gut of his enemy.

Blood shot from the slits in Slade's broken mask, but the damage certainly wasn't enough to stop him. His fist too found itself in its opponent's gut, twisting as it pushed upward, sending the young hero flying and leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

He slammed into the far wall before tumbling to the floor, landing on his knees. Some of his spiky hair drooped over his face as he looked towards his taciturn opponent nearing.

"You've never been this strong before!" Robin growled as he struggled to get to his feet.

"Of course not." Slade agreed. "This crystal around my neck is providing me a link to this so-called 'Great Power' stored within the Stone of Iso Toa. It's amplifying my power." He stopped to laugh at the situation. "You've never beaten me before—now that I'm even stronger it's impossible!"

Of course, Robin was not one to be stopped with mere words. "Nothing's impossible. I will defeat you—once and for all! You will go to jail, and we will win!"

"Foolish boy, I will never see the inside of a jail cell." He pulled at the crystal around his neck. "And even if you defeat me, you still cannot 'win.' This stone works both ways; it's also been collecting the energy we've put forth in every blow of this battle and using it to release that Great Power!"

Robin's jaw dropped as the realization hit him. "So, Boy Wonder, this really is a lose lose situation. Fight and help us, don't and die."

"Or," Robin began with a sparkle in his eye, "Beat you and make sure nobody gets to use whatever's trapped in that stone."

Suddenly the Titan shot forward, and his opponent responded in kind, their vicious attacks almost looking like a dance as they traded blows one after another, each knowing what hung on the line—while that thought invigorated one and only drove the other further and further.

A shot from the Sonic Cannon exploded through the top of the rubble like lava shooting from a volcano. Cyborg crawled from the hole he had created, sparks flying from scratches and dents in his metallic body. As he wiped the mixture of blood and oil from his chin he looked for the witch that had done this to him, finding her again exchanging attacks with Starfire.

The Tamaranian warrior weaved through several glowing beams of chi, hovering to a stop only to lop off a line of Starbolts. Grinning as she thrusted her arms to the side, energy erupted from Mother's body and surrounded her in a shimmering ball. The Starbolts connected, pushing her backwards but bringing no harm to the Iso-jin, as they only depleted her field of chi.

"Your attacks are worthless!" Mother exclaimed as a beam lashed forward, zagging like lightning through the field of green projectiles.

"Eeeeeep!" Starfire gasped as the chi loomed only inches away from her face. In a flash the Starbolts on her hands expanded until they surrounded her just as Mother's shield did. The aforementioned Iso-jin's attack only served to push the Titan to the ground, where her shield of Tamaranian power incinerated the ground beneath her.

Mother landed nimbly, her field remaining around her as well; she knew she still needed it. With a scream her opponent thrusted her arms forward and a Starbeam bigger than the Titan herself exploded from the ball of energy and roared towards the Iso-jin like a bullet train.

Just smirking, the old woman pointed her hands forward in the shape of a 'v'; a beam similar to Starfire's erupted from the shield of chi, only the front of the blast was pointed into a blade. It tore through the Starbeam, diverting the translucent power as easily as if it was water, and collided with the Teen Titan.

Starfire soared backwards, her flight only coming to a stop as she plowed into the wall beside Cyborg. "Starfire!" he exclaimed as he dashed to his teammate's side, catching the girl in his mechanical arms. "Are you okay?"

"I am…fine," she sighed as she recovered. "But I do not know how we will win this fight! She does not name her attacks like the other ones do, so we cannot tell what she will do, but she knows everything we plan!"

Suddenly an exclamation point lit-up in the half-robot's mechanical eye. "But even if she knows what we'll do, it doesn't mean she can stop it! Star, I've got a plan!"

The beautiful woman sauntered casually towards her opponents, knowing full-well what they were doing. A ball of chi sparked in her palm, but she was in no hurry to launch it; after all, everything was working according to plan so far.

Finally as she saw Starfire nod she made her move. "Enough!" The beam of chi zoomed between the two Titans, sending rock flying. "I know as well as you do that you don't want to play around anymore! Quit licking your wounds and fight!"

Cyborg nodded, and Starfire exploded forward in reply. "I shall!" she screamed, sending a Starbolt zooming into the Iso-jin leader. Deflecting it to the side Mother leapt into the air and unleashed a barrage of energy—the alien girl neutralized most of it with blasts of her own.

With his opponent distracted Cyborg dashed to a corner, and the back of one of his legs opened with a hiss. The mechanical man pulled a small device from the inside of his limb and set it on the ground; it began to glow blue. After placing an identical device from his other leg parallel to the first, he moved to a third corner and put another machine from his stomach there.

Somersaulting as she landed Mother—finally feeling fatigue from the chi she was consuming—retracted her fields and instead focused energy to her arms. With amazingly accurate swipes she deflected Starbolts with her forearms.

Standing in the fourth corner, Cyborg's shoulders popped open, missiles preparing to launch in each. A similar hatch in his chest held one poised missile. "And now to see if my upgrade works," he smiled as he pointed his arms forward; both limbs unfolded into powerful Sonic Cannons.

As Mother knocked aside a bolt Starfire appeared behind it; her leg met the woman's forearm, and the recoil sent both reeling. Mother's heels dug into the ground but her opponent kicked against it, propelling herself above the Iso-jin.

"Give up!" Starfire commanded as energy leapt to life in her hands and eyes; it surrounded her body until she shone like a star in the cavern's sky. "There is no way for you to win now, and you know it!"

"After all," Cyborg smiled, "Myself and my backup generators have you surrounded on the ground, while Starfire has any exit through the air blocked. If you really knew this was coming you should be kicking yourself—"

"For not being able to prevent it?" Mother intervened. "I suppose so. This does seem a hopeless situation." Strangely enough—sickening enough—the smile never left her face. "But my Yoken Yoken allows me to accept the strands of fate that led me to this choice—so do as you must! I have no regrets!"

The eyebrows of both Titans arched—though they were in a superior position, they were the ones frustrated. Cyborg screamed as his entire arsenal fired, a blizzard of missiles and two streaming shots of sound waves along with three sparking beams of energy from the backup generators Cyborg had placed around the battlefield.

Meanwhile, green streaks exploded downwards from the hovering Tamaranian, filling the air like a fireworks show. Starfire strained as all her power was focused into the continued fire of her Starbolts.

Mother was the calmest of the three, her expression resigned as she swung her arms aside, every last remaining bit of chi in her body exploding around her. However, the missiles pounding into the sides quickly took chunks from her shield—and while Cyborg's beams slowly drove back her defenses, the Starbolts monotonously battered atop her like hail.

_'This fight already took much of my energy,'_ the Iso-jin thought, _'and with the intensity of these attacks it's not going to last long enough to save me from taking the brunt of it! Still, my sight is never wrong. My place in history will be glorified—my plan is going to succeed!'_

Finally the last shreds of energy contained within Mother vanished, and the remaining force of the Titans' power hit the Iso-jin head-on. However, even as her delicate body took damage for the first time her smile only grew bigger. She could feel the same power searing her flesh radiating from the jewel around her neck.

_'As I told Slade: only I can defeat these children _properly!_ Their narrow-minded focus only on this battle blinds them to my true objective! They've performed exactly as I knew they would!'_

Suddenly the force of the powerful attacks exploded around the Iso-jin, sending both Titans reeling backwards. Starfire landed with a thud next to one of Cyborg's generators, and as she returned it to him he was already refitting the others.

"It looks as if we have had the victory," Starfire said sadly, looking over her shoulder, "But I feel bad having to kill—even somebody as evil as her."

"She forced our hand Star." Cyborg solemnly stated. However, their melancholy state was broken as a coughing figure emerged from the smoke of the wreckage, barely even managing to limp.

Mother emerged, bruised and bloody. Between the severe loss of energy and the horrible beating she had endured she had nearly reverted fully to her older form, and only a shred of beauty still remained within the Iso-jin.

"She is…alive?" the Tamaranian said, not only stunned, but also partially relieved and disgusted.

"Good," Cyborg snapped. "Now she can rot in jail."

"Nonsense Cyborg," Mother said in a raspy, feeble voice. "We're not going anywhere—not yet. You won this battle, but what I predicted to you will still come true. In the end, you will all die."

Cyborg almost laughed. "Come again, lady? You're almost dead. I don't think you're in the state to threaten us."

"Not with my own power, no," she began. "But defeating you—this battle—were never truly important. You made a mistake when you said it no longer mattered why I manipulated you all—if you had thought about it more perhaps you could have had another fate.

"You see, all of your friends and yourselves were brought here to fight for your lives. By defeating my followers and myself, you have only contributed all the energy you used _to_ defeat us to the Great Power resting within the Stone of Iso Toa!"

Starfire gasped. "It cannot be true! No more with your lies!"

"It's no lie, girl," Mother cooed evilly, her tone both demanding and menacing despite her condition. "In fact your final blow against me was just what the doctor ordered. Finally, the Great Power has enough power to emerge once again!"

Holding her crystal into the air it shone radiantly, but then all trace of life in it disappeared. However, the Stone of Iso Toa suddenly floated into the air, a blinding crimson light emerging from it and filling the entire cavern. Slade's lair began to shake until finally the Stone exploded, the fragments of crystal enveloped by the pure energy washing through the cave like a tidal wave.

The crimson energy rushed past Mother, who was relishing it. She soaked up the power, her body again regaining its vigor and youth as if she had never fought.

"That's it my love!" she cried as tears trickled down her cheek. "Finally the Great Power has returned! Rejoice, for a new life awaits you all!"

Next time: The Great Power—Fruition of the Manipulation


	25. Chapter 25

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 25: The Great Power—Fruition of the Manipulation**

Nami squirmed, muffled groans escaping through her gag as she tried to free herself from the bonds that had her restrained like an actress in a dirty movie. The navigator's hands were tied to one gear, while her legs were tethered to another gear moving in the opposite direction. If action wasn't taken soon she would ripped completely in half!

Suddenly she heard a scream in the distance, and as Nami lifted her head she noticed Luffy soaring towards her. She cried the name of her savior beneath her gag; her savior, however, flew straight past her and into the wall.

"Ooooooooow," the rubberman groaned as he fell to the floor, tottering for a second on one foot before regaining composure. As he turned he saw his navigator nearing an untimely doom, and his impaired attention span returned. "Oh yeah! I gotta destroy that stupid machine!"

Luffy cracked his knuckles and began to wind his right arm. "Rubber…"

The eyes of his female friend, however, shot open wide. She screamed with all her might, shaking her entire body within the restraints like a battery-powered toy.

"Hm?" Luffy's gaze moved again towards Nami. He frowned as he momentarily stopped his attack and strolled to her side. "Hold on. I can't understand you with that rag in your mouth!"

As the captain pulled the gag from his crewmate's mouth she sighed, letting the relief leave her body; however, with it gone it made room for more rage. "What were you thinking you moron!" Nami screamed; the amazing blast of sound waves she released—rivaling those of Cyborg's Sonic Cannon—sent her savior reeling—yet again—into a wall.

"What're you talking about?" Luffy whined.

"Slade threatened to blow the machine, and me, to bits, right!" Luffy's usual hapless expression didn't change. "This entire device is rigged with explosives! And you were getting ready to attack it!"

The pirate cocked his head. "Oh, that wouldn't have been good, would it?" Nami's glare answered his question quite well. "So how do I get you out then?"

Nami bit her lip for a few seconds until her rage had quelled enough to allow her to respond civilly. "Well, you could try _untying the knots!_"

"Oh," he said as he kneeled and began tugging at the restraints. While picking his ear with one hand Luffy started pulling at different strings with the other. Nami yelped in pain.

"No! You're just making it tighter!" She glared with contempt at the inept rescuer. "Don't you know how to tie a knot?"

Luffy pointed towards his sandals. A sweat drop fell down Nami's head as she unleashed a pitiful sigh.

Suddenly the tiny girl found herself wrapped in the rubber arms of her captain. "I got it!" he exclaimed. While she didn't know what he had planned, the fact that this was Luffy had Nami's bad-idea-o-meter blaring warnings in her mind. She tried to voice her objections, but when Luffy was adamant about something he conveniently became deaf to criticism.

Clenching his teeth Monkey D. Luffy pulled with all his might; Nami was now at the risk of being torn in _three_ pieces instead, much to her chagrin. Fortunately, her restraints gave out before her body did, and with nothing holding her to the gears the amazing phenomenon known as 'recoil' sent both pirates tumbling backwards across the floor—and each other.

With a primal growl Nami pushed the rubberman from atop her and leapt onto her feet, brushing the little bit of dirt that hadn't already become a stain from her shirt. "This was new too!" she cried.

Grinning like a child Luffy exclaimed, "Boy, that sure was a good plan!"

Suddenly the sound of her palm tearing into his rubber skin echoed through the cavern, out the exits and across the rest of the Earth, averaging a rating of 7 on the Richter scale. Luffy span like a top for several minutes; as he finally came to a stop he started rubbing the hand-shaped welt on his cheek. "What was that for?"

"That was for the most half-assed rescue attempt I've ever seen!" Nami roared as steam poured from her ears and fire raged in her eyes, her arms clenched stiffly at her side. She remained in that position for probably half a minute, but as her rage subsided and she noticed Luffy had wandered towards the edge of the alcove, she just sighed in disgust. "At least _Sanji_ knows how to rescue a woman, even if he does mutter that chauvinistic nonsense the entire time."

The smile quickly returned to Luffy's face as he stared over the edge. "So now all that's left is to kick that mask guy's ass!"

"Are you sure?" Nami asked as she strolled to her captain's side. "Somehow I don't think it'll be that easy."

"Relax," Luffy smiled, "What's the worst that can happen?"

Then, as if it was issued by the gods of irony themselves, a blizzard of crimson energy filled every inch of the cavern, blowing through with a terrifying force greater than any power present.

Mother stood with a smile on her face, arms spread wide, gleefully eating up the energy that enveloped the fighters. As the last gust of wind blew past and the strange phenomenon ended the Iso-jin stood as if nothing had happened. Her silky skin didn't have a scratch, or even any dirt; her hair stood as if just styled, not showing a sign of enduring the horrific final attack of her battle with the Teen Titans.

"Yes, my love," she said, tears trickling from the corners of her eyes, "Finally you've returned. Finally I've fulfilled my destiny. You've returned to rule, and we can be together again!"

"No," Starfire grunted as she recovered from the powerful blast, amazed at the sight of Mother. "She has the young again! We have done nothing!"

Cyborg's robotic eye clicked, and he grimaced. "Even worse is this energy reading I'm getting! Where the Stone of Iso Toa was all I can feel now is…"

"That?" Cutting off her teammate's statement, Starfire pointed upwards, towards a giant, sparking ball of crimson energy. It was radiant, demanding the attention of all within eyeshot.

"So that's the great power you've been going on about all this time," Slade said, suddenly at Mother's side. "It certainly is everything I imagined it'd be."

The old woman grinned diabolically. "Oh, it's much more than that Slade."

"Perfect."

In a black flash Slade was leaping up the side of the steep wall, dashing towards the Great Power. As he streaked towards his prize another figure arrived in his place.

"Titans," Robin exclaimed as he landed, "We can't let Slade get to that! It has all our power and more!"

"Nonsense." Three shots of chi sent the Titans sprawling. Mother didn't look a bit worried at her 'partner's' mad dash toward the Great Power. "Slade _has_ to get to it. That man is a scheming maggot, willing to betray any alliance to get the power he desires.

"As I told my Iso-jin, the Great Power will teach Slade the error of his ways—a man who so flagrantly discredits love deserves nothing but death!"

With one final leap Slade came face to face with the Great Power. The amazing sphere's light reflected in the madman's eye as he reached one arm towards it. "Finally, you're mine. If the Stone of Iso Toa had such power, I can only imagine the power you command."

Suddenly, Slade found a force clamping down on his throat. In an instant he had been rendered helpless—a first for Slade. The fiend's eye grew wide in fear as the Great Power began to flare, and before anybody could even react Slade had been swallowed up in a spiraling beam of crimson that drove itself across the plateau and through a wall.

"That's the man I remember," Mother smiled, "The man I loved."

"Slade?" Robin whimpered in confusion.

Starfire too was shocked, unsure whether to be appalled or overjoyed over the turn of events. "You…wanted this to happen? How could you again betray somebody who trusted in you!"

However, Mother only laughed. "Are you going to object to my every opinion?" Taking a strand of hair in her fingers, the Iso-jin continued. "It's not like he wasn't planning to betray me first. You should be happy he's gone—and you shouldn't be wasting energy on a dead man when the new developments are so much important."

As she spoke the Great Power was fading—reshaping—a humanoid figure emerging from the blinding sphere of energy. A suit of crimson and black clad a muscular body, and a billowing cape hung from a v-shaped collar. The man had a square jaw and focused eyes, which were partially covered by strands of his white hair. He gave one quick look in the direction of his first victim and then floated into the air, levitating down the side of the cliff and landing besides Mother.

"Aww man," Cyborg groaned, "I hate it when these last minute plot twists come out of nowhere! It always throws me for a loop!"

"But it actually makes sense," Robin began, his sharply trained mind already at work. "All this time it wasn't the Stone of Iso Toa performing all those miracles; it was him! I don't know how he did what he did, or why how he was in that stone, but it's the only explanation!"

"Very good, Robin." The man spoke for the first time, his voice deep and rich but not overbearing. "Though I am disappointed you didn't figure it out long before I was set free."

Mother's arm slipped over the man's shoulder, and she stared into his eyes with immense pride for a few moments before speaking. "This is the man known as the 'Great Power', my lover Iso."

The three Titans shuddered. "Please, please tell me she was young then too," Cyborg begged.

"Of course," Iso responded. "I have used my abilities to restore her brittle shell to its glorious appearance before the decades of trying to release me." As he flashed a quick glance at his lover he continued. "Speaking of which, I must thank you for your assistance in freeing me from my prison. M'love could never have done it without your energy."

"So everything you Iso-jin have done," Robin stammered, "Was to unleash this man?"

"If all you wanted to do was save a friend," Starfire asked, "Why did you not just ask us for the assistance?"

"Because," Mother began as she slipped out of her beloved's embrace, "Then we would never have arrived here and gained access to this world's power as well! Now my love has two worlds to restore!"

A collective question mark leapt from the heads of the three Titans.

Iso took a step forward. "Before the great disaster that forged the Stone of Iso Toa, Ianoa Island was an amazing place to live. My power made it that way. Now that I am free, I can fulfill my true destiny by bringing peace to two entire worlds!"

"And for your assistance in our noble effort," Mother offered, "You can serve just below me in our new world order."

Each of the Titans sported a stunned look, but in only a second it fell from Robin's face as he pulled out his staff, taking a stance.

The red-clad man grinned. "Don't waste your breath, m'dear," he told his love. "It appears Robin cares for his city so much that he ignores what is _truly_ best for it."

"What gives you the right to decide what's best for these people!" Robin exclaimed. "I've seen how you Iso-jin operate! To bring about your own satisfaction you've manipulated all of us, cooperated with a madman, and pretty much displayed all the traits I know I wouldn't want to be lead by!"

Iso raised a white eyebrow as he chuckled. "It always has taken a little work to convince the simple minded of the good I can bring."

"Good?" Starfire's pupils disappeared behind a glowing display of her power. "What good can come from your badness?"

Dust blew from beneath the new arrival as Iso floated to the same height as the Tamaranian. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"Yes!" Starbolts came to life in the alien's hands. "You are bad people!" Her hands moved in purple and orange blurs as Iso was enveloped in a green blizzard of extraterrestrial power. However, as the Starbolts collided with his body they seemed to do nothing—the man was actually smiling through the assault.

Suddenly it hit the boy wonder. "Wait, Star!" Robin cried. "Don't—"

However, the Titan's appeal was cut off as Iso disappeared in the same white flash that had twice teleported them across worlds. Instantaneously he appeared behind Starfire, grabbing her head within his massive palm and driving her into the ground.

"Yo dawg!" Iso looked up to see Cyborg aiming his Sonic Cannon. "That just ain't cool." A blast of spiraling blue and white erupted from the half-robot's arm, colliding squarely with the powerhouse's chest. However, he didn't budge an inch, and the sound waves just seemed to be dispersing across his body.

The Great Power clapped his hands, and Cyborg was suddenly overtaken by a pulsing wave at even higher decibels, scrambling his circuits until only zeroes and ones displayed in his cybernetic eye.

Having brought two Titans to their knees in only seconds, Iso turned to the stunned Robin. "Impressed? You should be."

The leader of the Titans just growled. "I'll be impressed when you take down somebody fighting you on even ground."

Clenching his staff firmly in his hands Robin took a step forward, but he suddenly stopped in his tracks. His pupil-less white eyes grew incredibly wide as his jaw dropped past his knees.

"Rubber…" Robin leapt through the air as his opponent turned to see the source of the new scream, but it was too late for Iso. "…BAZOOKA!" Two open palms collided with his back, sending the new threat hurling into the far wall.

Monkey D. Luffy stood with both arms before him, Nami clinging to his back. "You asshole!" he screamed to Iso. "I wanted to fight the mask man!"

As Iso emerged from the wreckage, Luffy removed his straw hat and handed it to Nami. "Take care of this for me," he said, and his navigator nodded, backing away slowly as she put her captain's most beloved possession upon her own head.

Steam flew from Mother's head as she clenched her teeth, bonfires of chi raging from her hands. Though she had known the outcome of her offer before she'd even mentioned it, the insolence of these children still enraged her beyond all belief.

"Stand down, m'love," Iso said as he casually brushed some dust from his tunic. "I haven't had a chance to test my abilities for a long time now."

"Killer Move…" Every head in the cavern turned towards the new voice, and they were greeted by a flaming projectile soaring towards Iso. "…Fire Star!" The powerhouse was engulfed by the flames, but only seconds later they dispersed, the white-haired man smirking as smoke flew from his body.

Usopp stood at one entrance to the lair, holding his slingshot high above his head. "You'll regret threatening the friends of Captain Usopp!"

One by one the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates and Teen Titans emerged through the entrance as the field of black that had brought them there retreated beneath Raven's cloak. "Better speak up Usopp," Zoro grunted as he tapped the sniper with his sheath, "I don't think he can hear you over the sound of your knees shaking."

"It doesn't matter if he can hear us or not," Sanji said, smoke drifting from his cigarette. "It doesn't matter if he was warned or not!" Lifting his head, the cook had not a heart in his eye, but an expression of rage. "Anybody who hurts Nami-san or Star-kun'll end up on tomorrow's menu!"

Starfire squealed in delight at the sight of her friends, and arrived at their sides in a green flash. "You have all arrived alive! Glorious!" However, her expression drooped as she saw the various wounds, bruises and bandages they had collected. "You all look as if you have been attacked by a pack of angry Flemshires!"

However, as her friends reunited Raven was concerned with more important matters. Her empathic abilities were sensing a dangerous presence, one that she had sensed before. In a second she was gone, emerging from a black puddle in the floor next to Iso.

"Ah, Raven," Iso flashed a smile as he greeted her calmly, "We meet again."

"So it _was_ you," Raven accused. "You were the power controlling Tashigi."

"Of course. The stone my love placed around her neck opened a direct connection to _my _power, no matter where I am—even imprisoned inside a stone. Through those stones I was easily able to control the actions of the drugged Tashigi; not only that, but they enabled me to collect the energy of you and of my love's lackeys. After I collected enough, I was easily able to destroy my prison and finally return!"

Raven raised an eyebrow. "And you can control our energy…how?"

"Yes, that would be the question of the day, wouldn't it?" As he spread his arms to the side, a red ball of energy—similar to the power from the Iso-jins' relics—sprouted in each hand. "I carry the Devil Fruit power of Konki Konki! It allows me to absorb any type of energy and then use it how I see fit!"

"So that explains the teleportation!" Robin exclaimed. "The records I accessed on the Stone of Iso Toa after receiving Slade's invitation told me all about the troubles the owners of that stone have had with you! Eventually you were locked away in that cave; away from anything you could possibly use to harm people, even sunlight!

"Us showing up was the first chance you'd had to escape in decades! Not only that, but Starfire's blast was better than anything you'd had access to before; a Starbolt had the power to bring you—"

"—Home" Iso interjected. "Yes, obviously I took that chance to return to my own dimension, and by a complete surprise, was brought to my own island as well. I knew my love would know I was coming, but as an assistance to her servants I used the energy from Slade's gun to signal them with a beam."

Robin growled. "And attacking me with it was…"

"Just a little fun," he smiled. "Plus, I had to convince Slade that my power was under _his_ control. I know how my love thinks, and this was the perfect opportunity to claim this world as well. Hence I enabled Slade to escape, and then again brought us to this world—knowing all along my love would release me."

The Boy Wonder's grip on his staff tightened. "And you came here just to make this world better, right?" he growled. "You've threatened my friends, joined forces with a madman and who knows what else, yet you expect us to believe that you have noble intentions to 'save' us?

"We don't need saving! The people here live happy lives! They didn't ask for this world to be made perfect!" Robin paused for a breath. "From what I've seen as a Teen Titan, that world would be impossible no matter what power you had!"

The bewildered heroes stood behind their friend, all silent in shock. However, Iso actually cracked a full-fledged smile. "And yet, Boy Wonder, this is only one man's opinion." Suddenly he turned towards another Titan. "You've seen the horrid state of Ianoa Island—tell me Raven, could my powers not better it?"

The witch was caught off guard, and though she thought knew the answer, the powerful emotions from Ian's past flooding through her head had her doubting it. If Ianoa Island had sunken to that level with_out_ Iso's rule…

"Anything could make that hellhole better!" Raven gasped, and turned to see Zoro answering for her. "Hell, even your followers had the power to let those people lead peaceful lives, and yet they didn't! They let them suffer because they were waiting for you! If that kind of mindless servitude is what we can expect from a world under your rule, then I agree with Robin!"

Luffy walked past his first mate, cracking his knuckles as he approached Iso. "We all do! After all, we're pirates!" He raised his head to reveal vengeful eyes that had only been seen once or twice before. "We follow nobody but ourselves!"

"Well said, for an idiot," Cyborg smiled. The others nodded, and together stood the Straw Hat Pirates—Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji and Chopper—and the Teen Titans—Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy and Terra—steady in their defiance of the Iso-jin.

Iso laughed, and with the sweep of his arm he moved aside his cape and gestured towards his love. "As I said my love, this is the first chance I've had to stretch my muscles in a long, long time. Let me handle this."

The woman known by the title of 'Mother' nodded, leaping to the alcove above. There was not an ounce of fear in her body. The power of her Yoken Yoken fruit had allowed her to see the outcome of this battle long before it had been fought, but even if she couldn't see the future she wouldn't be afraid.

_'The love between us has brought us this far!'_ she thought, tearing up. _'Iso will never let his Toa down!'_

It was—surprisingly—Usopp who made the first move, setting his sights on Iso. His tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth as he perfected his shot, but suddenly he shifted his aim towards the ground. "Smoke Star!" The rising plume of smoke began to hide the warriors, and several more projectiles finished the job, draping the entire cavern in a haze.

Iso simply floated in mid-air, unconcerned with the disappearance of his enemies. After all, what could they possibly do to _him?_ The man didn't as much as flinch as Starfire burst through the smoky veil, colliding with her opponent in mid-air.

_Usopp span, unleashing several more smoking stars in all directions. _

_"Listen up, everybody!" Robin exclaimed. "We have to use physical attacks here! Starbolts, Sonic Blasts, even explosives will only help him!"_

_"Great," Terra growled, "Maybe the pirates can do that, but it really puts us Titans at a disadvantage!"_

_A drop of sweat rolled down the Boy Wonder's head. "Terra? What're you doing here?"_

_The earth-mover jumped backwards, having forgotten that not everybody knew what happened. "It's a long, long story…" she sighed._

_"Hey!" Chopper interrupted, his head half buried in his backpack. "Where's my last Rumble Ball!"_

_"Ooops," Beast Boy blushed. "About that…"_

_The short attention span of the Captain actually served to push the conversation back on subject. "It doesn't matter! No matter how we fight we'll just kick his—"_

_Raven appeared behind the rubberman, smacking him. "Is that your answer to everything?"_

_"He's right though," Sanji said, tossing his cigarette aside, "With twelve against one this will be a piece of cake."_

_Nodding in agreement, Zoro placed his third sword between his teeth._

_"Yes, we just have to be outside of the boxes while we do our thinking!" Starfire exclaimed as she zoomed through the smoke._

_The others were left dumbfounded. "I, I _think _I got that." Cyborg stammered._

Backed by her incredible Tamaranian strength, Starfire's fist tore across the enemy's face. As he was pushed backwards she quickly twirled, her leg zooming into a follow-up assault. However, in a display of lightning-fast reflexes, Iso brushed her kick aside and charged forward.

"Even if you don't use your Starbolts," he growled as he clenched onto her wrists, "I can still take your energy by force!" The Titan screamed as energy was sucked out of her. Luminescent green power sparked around Iso as he absorbed the tremendous power straight into his body.

Fortunately, Iso's feeding frenzy was cut short as a mechanical fist barreled into his face. The cult leader reeled backwards as a wire retracted the mechanical arm. Simultaneously a grappling hook sunk into the ceiling and Robin pulled himself into the air. However, the black-clad figure dashing up Cyborg's wire was faster.

"Concasse!" Sanji cried as he pushed off the mechanical Titan's wrist, somersaulting the rest of the way before planting his heel into Iso's head—or where his head would have been if he had not crossed his arms to block.

The force of the attack still sent the Iso-jin barreling towards the ground, however, his abilities over all energy allowed him to displace the damage as he landed. The ground exploded around him as he planted his feet into the dirt, but Iso himself was mostly unharmed.

Of course, that wouldn't last long if Robin had anything to say about it. He flipped, planted his feet against the ceiling and pushed off towards the ground. As the Boy Wonder fell he unleashed two Redbird boomerangs, which actually zoomed past Iso and left thin cuts across his arms.

As he neared the ground Robin pulled back his staff, swinging vertically with all his might. However, a mighty explosion of wind blew Iso backwards, although the powerhouse used his own levitation to instantly recover and return forwards. Crimson energy sparked around his fists as he swung, the entire maneuver taking away the Teen Titan's advantage as it again put him on the defensive.

With two skillful swings Robin deflected punches, but the third swipe from the Iso-jin shattered the weapon. Robin's jaw dropped as chunks of broken metal tumbled from his palms; he was horrified as he realized there was no way to fend off punches of that caliber bare-handed!

In a flash of yellow he was saved as a pillar of stone pushed Iso into the sky. However, the unorthodox weapon was easily destroyed as power exploded from the man. "Why don't you pick on somebody with a little more power!" Terra yelled, standing before him on a floating stone.

"Ah yes, the traitor," he smiled. "Do you not remember what happened last time we met?" Suddenly the golden hue created by Terra's power vanished, sending both the rock and the girl tumbling towards the ground. "I may need direct contact to steal Starfire's stored energy, but after you channel your power into the Earth it's an easy target!"

Terra's eyes were closed as she prepared for the worst, but instead of hitting the ground she landed on something soft. She was on the back of a green Pterodactyl! Landing, she slipped off its back as if shifted to human form.

"Don't worry, I've got ya," Beast Boy smiled. "Just leave all the butt kicking to me!"

The object of his affection chuckled. "BB, you're such a dork."

"Okay, but you'll be singing another tune in a minute!" he exclaimed as he turned into a hummingbird, zigzagging through the sky towards Iso. Despite the absurd prowess of his opponent, Beast Boy's tiny size allowed him to go unnoticed until he was above the red-clad man—at that point he became a bear and tackled Iso.

However, if his attack was meant to tackle Iso to the ground—and the surprised look on the green bear's face made it seem like this was the case—then it could be called a failure. The force of Iso's levitation was stronger than the changeling's lunge, and the two floated there in mid-air.

"You're not very smart, are you?" Iso asked smugly. Growling, Beast Boy's body stretched and fluctuated as he changed into an anaconda, hoping to constrict the powerhouse instead. However, the target of the attack just laughed. "No, you most certainly aren't."

Electricity surged from the floating man's body, shocking the green boy back into his human form. As he fell towards the ground, charred and smoking, his uncontrollable descent was slowed by a small whirlwind of dust.

As Beast Boy made it back to his feet the dust was wiped off by a sweeping field of golden energy. "Looks like I've got you instead." Terra laughed. "Now we're even!" The shape-shifter blushed.

As a final spark ran down Iso's body Raven appeared beside him, trails of white leaking from her blank eyes. "Hello, Iso. Ready to be surprised?"

Snickering, the white haired man simply replied, "How can you surprise me? You know my powers nullify yours."

One corner of Raven's mouth curved into a tiny smile. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." Suddenly her cloak blew open, but inside was not her body, just an endless abyss of darkness.

"Rubber…"

Monkey D. Luffy exploded from the black void, both arms flailing. Iso's eyes shot wide—though he could nullify Raven's offensive abilities, she was still a portal!

"GATTLING!"

The hovering figure was barraged by a seemingly endless assault of rubber limbs as Luffy punched so fast that it seemed like he had dozens of arms. Iso was driven into the wall behind him, the force finally breaking the rubberman's attack. As Iso recovered Luffy span in mid-air, firing his elongated leg instead. "Stamp!"

However, Iso managed to spin past the kick, grabbing Luffy's leg as it tore into the caricature left from the last attack. With his leg unable to return, the Captain's body was instead pulled towards Iso, whom held out a fistful of sparking, crimson energy.

In one shot of spiraling energies Luffy was driven far into the ground.

Iso's gloating was cut short, however, as something landed on his back. Leaping from the top of the cliff he had just been slammed into, Nami landed atop the floating powerhouse and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"See, Luffy!" she cried to her fallen teammate. She grabbed Iso's cape and pulled it over his head. "_This_ is how you tie a knot!" Her hands moved rapidly as she tied the ends of the cape into a bow, securing it in the debilitating position.

Not appreciating being demeaned like that, Iso span and clenched down on Nami's neck. The navigator pulled at his hands, but with his power they were unmovable—fortunately for her, a hook suddenly clasped around the strangler's leg.

"Usopp's Grappling Belt!" the sniper cried as the grappling hook—attached to his flashy belt—latched to Iso. With a grunt Usopp tugged at the line, trying to pull his opponent from the air. Again, however, Iso's strength far trumped his. He moved his hand from Nami's neck to the rope, and a tug flung Usopp into the air.

"You two weaklings deserve each other," Iso growled through his cape as he tossed Nami like a football. She collided with her crewmate in mid-air, but as Usopp's rope reached its limit he snapped forward, leaving them in the dangerous attack range.

Just in time a Starbolt severed the grappling line, and Starfire caught both the pirates far before they reached the ground. Meanwhile, flames erupted from Iso, disintegrating both his cape and the remains of Usopp's grappling hook but leaving the rest of him—naturally—unharmed.

This perceived aura of invulnerability served Iso well as the earth-shaking cry of a green Tyrannosaurus Rex echoed behind him; he barely seemed affected as he span, grasping Beast Boy's snout with both hands. The sky around the Iso-jin rippled as he struggled to hold the dinosaur back, but even as he put forth this effort crimson energy sparked from his palms and enveloped the Titan.

"Surviving the Ehedren armor was quite a feat, but let's see how you manage when you're trapped inside it!" The crimson lightning surrounded Beast Boy, collecting into a bubble before suddenly contracting. Only a moment later he was encased in a layer of red rock—identical to the stone that made up the Iso-jin relics and the Stone of Iso Toa itself.

Both Zoro and Terra were at the feet of the new statue. "It's the same as that stupid boat," Zoro growled.

"And that means I can't affect it," Terra sighed, "But there are other ways to save him!"

Meanwhile, a raven-shaped pool of black appeared on the ceiling. This time Iso knew what to expect, but that didn't necessarily mean he could counter the empath's next passengers—each unleashing mighty screams, Cyborg, Sanji and Chopper fell from the portal.

Flames poured from a booster in Cyborg's shoulder, propelling him into a vicious spinning punch. Sanji's foot became limp as he lashed it above his head and toward his opponent. Chopper shifted to his massive human form, pulling both arms behind his head and chopping both into Iso's chest. The powerhouse became nothing more than a red meteor as he soared into the floor.

Yellow energy poured from Terra's arms like steam as she focused on shifting the floor from beneath Beast Boy. "That would be quite unnecessary," a voice behind her said.

"Beast Boy!" the earth mover exclaimed, spinning to see her green teammate. "How…"

Patting his hand on his chest, Beast Boy bragged, "It's hard to trap a shapeshifter. I shrank down to a gopher and dug under the wall. Can't be owing you any more favors now, can I?"

While Terra was amused by the other Titan's ingenuity, Zoro had completely ignored the rescue effort and instead dashed towards the still-recovering Iso. "Oni Giri!"

The green haired boy's swords uncrossed, but only clashed against another force. Iso emerged from the wreckage, a blade of crimson stone protruding from each arm.

"Well, this makes the game more interesting," Zoro smiled. His opponent swung wide as the pirate lifted both swords above his head. "Tora Gari!" The two blades snapped down into the red weapon, and Roronoa Zoro used the force to somersault above the slash. Iso's other arm was already thrusting forward, but those two same swords fended off the assault, sending the former bounty-hunter spiraling past the deadly attack.

"Tou Rou Nagashi!"

Zoro now stood behind Iso, streams of wind blowing past the two, and blood exploded from an 'X' shaped wound on his chest.

"So, you aren't _completely _invulnerable," Zoro smiled. "Good to know."

"Maybe I'm not," Iso began without a drop of fear, "But I certainly have enough power for it not to mean my defeat!"

Suddenly, a cry came from above them. "But can you stop both our blades!"

Robin fell from the sky, one Redbird boomerang in each hand. He snapped the weapons together and pressed a button; the two projectiles amazingly transformed into a red and yellow sword.

Impressed, Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Nice."

Then both fighters were off, the three figures and six blades becoming a blur of colors and metallic echoes as they fended each other off. Zoro's three swords uncrossed, creating a gust of wind that sent Iso reeling backwards. Robin took advantage of this, whirling towards his staggering opponent. However, despite any lack in swordsmanship skill on Iso's part, his overwhelming strength still allowed one swing of his weapon to completely blow the Boy Wonder away.

Turning his fall to his advantage, Robin skidded across the floor. Digging the side of his boot into the ground he carved into a spin, and as he turned towards Iso he sent his blade flying. The weapon spiraled towards his opponent, who noticed it only at the last second.

However, despite hitting Iso square in the stomach Robin's blade only shattered. The man's entire body was now covered in that same strange rock. Crossing his arms, twin beams of crimson zapped the Titan and Zoro as well.

"That armor's bad news!" Chopper exclaimed, memories of his fight with Ivan fresh in his mind. "The fact that he can move in it means it's weaker than Ivan's was, but it might be more dangerous offensively!"

"Yeah, I noticed." Cyborg grumbled. Boosters in both of his feet flared as he exploded forward. "Let's take care of it then!"

The mechanical Titan's fist tore into the armor, but his metallic hand was the only thing crumpling. Just a quick slash later and Cyborg was out of the picture for the moment.

"Chopper," Sanji began, "It's going to take everything we've got to break that armor." The reindeer nodded. "Ready?"

"You bet!" Chopper exclaimed as Sanji leapt into the air, one foot landing in the doctor's massive human palm.

"SanjCho…"

The pirate tossed Sanji like a baseball. The chef whirled into a helicopter kick, becoming a blur as he spiraled through the air.

"…Quasi Queue…"

His one leg became completely invisible just before it was planted in Iso's protected face.

"…Shuuto!"

With a resounding crunch the stone between the cook's foot and the Iso-jin's face shattered, the entire armor crumbling as Iso himself soared backwards. Sanji, meanwhile, fell to the ground, his leg bending in directions it never had before.

A black puddle besides the fallen chef shaped into a human form, and the emerging Raven placed her hands over Sanji's chest. He groaned in pain as her healing abilities slowly reshaped his leg and the broken bones within.

She fell to her knees as she finally finished the job, sweat trickling down her grey skin. "There," Raven gasped, "the fractures should be healed now, but you're not well enough to fight yet."

"No, I have to—"

Before he could even voice his objections Sanji was carried to the far wall by a field of black. Raven waved her fingers as a cigarette and a match emerged from his jacket; her dark energies placed the death-stick between his lips and lit it. "You've done enough," the Titan smiled. "Take a break."

"Killer Move Pachinko Star!" Meanwhile, the little steel ball soared into the face of Iso, landing directly between his eyes. The projectile fell, having left absolutely no signs of damage on its target.

Crimson energy leapt to life in the Iso-jin's palm and Usopp panicked, screaming like a girl as he leapt behind Terra.

His blonde love grunted as she pushed him ahead of her. "Don't hide! If I can't fight him then you're going to have to!"

A column of earth propelled the sniper into the air; however, Usopp was just realizing that he wasn't protected anymore. His eyes stretched from their sockets like they were made of rubber as he realized what she was doing.

Iso's mouth began to show a small smile as he thrusted his hand forward. _'They don't know how easy they make it,'_ he thought as Terra's energy was absorbed into his body, leaving the rock below Usopp powerless.

Screaming, Terra lifted an entire row of rocks, each one catching the liar and propelling him forward before being grounded. As Usopp grew close he finally leapt off the rock, pulling his sling back as he jumped. Finally he had made a plan.

"Killer Move," a bullet was shot from his slingshot as Usopp began to descend. "Pachinko Star!"

"Again?" Iso asked, raising an eyebrow. "What, did you run out of ammunition? Or do none of your abilities work against me?

Suddenly the new attack exploded into a barrage of L-Shaped shuriken—his Shooting Stars technique. Not even the mighty Iso-jin leader could do anything as they impaled him, each one imbedding itself in the powerhouse's chest.

However, the man just grunted as sparks of energy destroyed the imbedded objects. Glaring down towards his opponent, who had landed on another rock, he asked, "What was that?"

"A new type of Pachinko!" Usopp proclaimed.

"No it's not!" Nami yelled from a hiding spot. "He's just a compulsive liar, even when he fights!"

He grunted as the thought of destroying the coward crossed his mind, but something moving towards him ended that train of thought. Iso just barely managed to lean behind a sword swipe as Zoro flew above him, propelled by a field of black surrounding his clothes.

Raven's aid disappeared as the green-haired swordsman fell towards his opponent, spinning his swords until they created a sphere-like barrier of slashes around him. "Karasumagari!"

Having been given advance notice of the attack from Zoro's first slash had allowed Iso time to grow new blades, and sent himself as well into a dizzying spin. The two spiraling figures drove each other into the ground, still trading vicious slashes that never landed.

Suddenly, a reindeer ran into Iso's side, pushing him from the fight and into the arms of a green gorilla. Cyborg appeared behind him, putting the powerhouse into a choker hold. Chopper shifted to his human form and grabbed Iso's mouth, pulling it open.

Roronoa Zoro raised a confused eyebrow. "What the hell are you guys doing?"

"We've got'im!" Chopper exclaimed, ignoring his crewmate's question.

"Good! It's time for Captain Usopp's Killer Move…" Unleashing yet another shot, this time a small red projectile flew from the liar's slingshot and went straight down Iso's open throat.

"…Habanero Pepper Star!"

The movement of Iso's Adam's apple made it obvious he had swallowed the burning pepper, but he showed no ill effects. Laughing, he thrusted his arms to the side—breaking his opponents' holds—and sent them flying with a blast of his trademark power.

As his tumbling body finally came to rest, an extremely battered Usopp just asked pitifully, "Why didn't it work? That was one of the hottest peppers known to man!"

Iso licked his lips. "I _like_ spicy food."

Cyborg finally landed as well, coming to a stop besides Robin. The Boy Wonder was still catching his breath, down on one knee.

"You okay?" Cyborg asked, concerned to see his gung-ho leader so beat.

"Yeah," he sighed, "But I don't know how long it'll last. We've lost our advantage! Nami can't fight, Chopper's out of Rumble Balls, Usopp _can't_ have any more tricks, Sanji's out of commission, and the offensive abilities of Starfire, Raven and Terra are useless to us! How much can the rest of us do after the damage we've taken!

"Plus, look at him! Iso hasn't gone on the offensive once! He's just been waiting to counter our attacks and collect our energy all this time! If he really wanted to, he could tear probably tear us apart!"

His mechanical teammate's jaw fell. "You're right man. We need a miracle."

"No," Robin interjected, "I just need a _plan!_"

"Rubber Pistol!"

Iso looked to the sky and smiled, easily sliding behind Monkey D. Luffy's elongated arm. The rubberman's fist tore into the ground, and digging his fingers into the dirt he easily pulled himself towards his opponent.

"Spear!" Luffy cried as he launched both of his legs—feet positioned side by side—and actually managed to kick Iso square in the face. The Captain flipped upside-down as both of his arms hit the ground, and he contorted his elastic body so that his legs flipped around beneath his arms and straight towards the crimson-clad villain. "Rubber Roller Coaster!"

The second attack only grazed the Iso-jin, sending him veering to the side. Luffy, meanwhile, somersaulted into the air and span. "Rubber…FIREWORKS!" Arms and legs came went flying from the spinning rubberman, shooting randomly in all directions. Iso grinned as he easily weaved between them until finally grabbing a leg—this instantly halted Luffy's spin, allowing his opponent to get his other leg too.

"Looks like I've got you trapped!" Iso yelled.

"No!" Luffy argued. "You're right where I want you!"

The pirate span until his body was curled like a spring.

"Rubber…"

Suddenly he began to unwind, and as he pushed his body backwards the spinning Iso-jin was now whirled through the air, still trapped between Luffy's legs.

"…Grand…"

Still being span as if he was in a dryer, Iso was suddenly pile-driven into the ground as Luffy's attack made a complete arc.

"…Mallet!"

Luffy's legs retracted as he span backwards, finally returning to normal with a snap as he landed. "Get up you bastard!" he commanded. "I've still got ass-kicking to do! I'm gonna beat you!"

Yellow energy—energy stolen from Terra—moved aside the rocks covering the crater Luffy's last attack had created. Iso floated from it, battered but not showing a sign of feeling the damage. However, his face finally displayed something other than disgustingly high confidence. To put it in language even his attacker would understand: Iso was _pissed_.

"Beat me!" he asked indignantly. "Impossible. Even the twelve of you have barely done anything to me. I am invincible, boy. Only one man has even come _close_ to beating me!"

Iso's white eyebrows furrowed as he thought of that horrible man. "Damn that cheater, Gold Roger…"

Luffy's jaw literally dropped to the floor. "Gold…Roger?"

"Okay, just when I thought I was officially caught up, I'm all confused again," Cyborg complained.

"Who is the Gold Roger?" Starfire asked.

Nami emerged from her hiding spot, as shocked as her captain. "The man who had everything…the original owner of the One Piece," she whispered under her breath.

"Gold Roger was the last King of the Pirates!"

Next Time: The Man Who Almost Had Everything—The Rise and Fall of Iso and Toa


	26. Chapter 26

"These things cannot be stopped. The ebb and flow of the ages. One's dreams. An inherited will of strength. As long as people hunger for freedom, these things will exist!"—Gold Roger, King of the Pirates

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 26: The Man Who Almost Had Everything—The Rise and Fall of Iso and Toa**

"Gold Roger?" Monkey D. Luffy echoed the name, stunned that it was even brought up. "What do you mean calling him a cheater!"

The Teen Titans were confused by the turn of events. They stared quizzically at the faces of their pirate comrades, wishing they knew what was going on so that they could be shocked speechless too.

Beside them, the dumbfounded Nami finally realized half their team had no idea what was going on. "Gold Roger," she began, "was the King of the Pirates!

"Twenty years ago he was finally captured by the Marines, and as he was about to be executed in front of the masses he exclaimed that his legendary treasure, the One Piece, was hidden at the end of the Grand Line! He told everybody there to go find it!

"That was the beginning of the age of piracy!"

Finally the Titans understood. "So then, Gold Roger is the man Luffy hopes to succeed!"

Suddenly the thoughts that must be running through the captain's head became apparent to them all. Gold Roger was a man Luffy desired to surpass—and he had just been insulted, called a cheater! When Luffy became the Pirate King what would that say about him!

"King of the Pirates!" Iso grumbled disdainfully. "My love, tell me…"

Mother leapt from her observation point to her love's side. "Yes, m'dear. Not long after the great disaster…Gold Roger became the Pirate King."

Robin nudged Nami. "The…'great disaster?'"

"Even I don't know what they mean," the navigator admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

Iso started to float to the ground, coming closer to the seething Luffy. "The fool," he muttered. "He managed to cheat me out of this world, then only becomes King of the _Pirates!_ So much potential, wasted!"

"What're you saying, bastard!" Luffy demanded.

"I'm saying that the only reason your precious Gold Roger even became King of the Pirates is because he cheated his way past me!"

_Sparks flew as the two blades met, the recoil from the fierce attacks sending both warriors backwards. They paused for a second, each glaring at their opponent before charging yet again, their blades waving into an artful display of power._

_The entire town square of Ianoa Island had become a battlefield, but not one of chaos. This island was home to some of the best sword smiths on the Grand Line. As soon as they could hold a sword the citizens were immersed in the culture of the weapon, not only learning to forge them but also becoming quite proficient in their art of killing._

_Eventually this path led to a yearly tournament—a chance for the best of the best to show their skills, while using the newest weapons as a testament to the smiths' abilities._

_The spectators in the stands cheered as the current competitors fought, all but one. One figure couldn't care less. Toa sighed as the two parried again; blowing a black curl of hair from her face she leaned back, plainly bored._

_ '_It doesn't matter who wins this,_' she thought sadly, '_he still doesn't have power. None of these losers are truly powerful. Nobody on this island cares to be anything more than mediocre._'_

_She frowned. '_Not one man here strives for greatness! How can I love on this island full of nobodies!_'_

_Suddenly a woman behind the stands screamed. Only seconds later a surge of water rushed past her, washing up part of the crowed assembled in the concessions. Water continued to flood the town square as an amazing crimson object surfaced in the bay._

_Those in the stands and in the competition—safe from the water being pushed from the bay—stared in true awe at the giant, stone boat that had appeared in their harbor. Toa's eyes glistened as the sight of the crimson vessel. She couldn't look away._

_The side of the unusual boat seemed to open into a large door; a ramp made of the same red stone emerged from the side and led to the ground._

_"Finally, my first victory is at hand."_

_Walking down the ramp was an imposing man, clad in a costume of black and the same crimson hue as his boat. A cape flapped behind him as he brushed the bangs of his stark white hair from his eyes._

_He looked back and forth across the landscaped. "Quaint," he said without any change in his expression. "I think I'll make it my capital."_

_"Just who do you think you are!"_

_The man finally looked down at the people he had intruded upon. All the remaining competitors in the tournament now stood before him, their weapons pointed towards the threat._

_The sounds of weapons being readied came from behind the red-clad man as his many minions raised their various weapons too, but one gesture from their leader made them take a step back._

_"Take it easy men," he smiled. "Didn't I tell you it would take some 'convincing' first? _I'll_ handle it."_

_He walked into the crowd, coming face to face with the drawn swords of a dozen angry competitors. "I am Iso," he finally answered, "and I am here to rule you all."_

_The swordsmen just stared at him blankly, until one finally burst into a fit of laughter. "You—you're serious!"_

_"Fully," Iso said. "I see you're having a tournament. Why don't you let me show you how serious I really am?"_

_Suddenly he was in the air, floating until he touched down in the center of the arena. "I will take on all of you! Maybe then you'll have the proper respect!"_

_A murmur ran through the crowd, but the remaining competitors ignored it. Even if he _had_ flown, he was still outnumbered by nearly a dozen! They had it easy!_

_"You've got it!" _

_Meanwhile, Toa was flabbergasted. This man—it was as if she was drawn to him! She could almost feel the power emanating from his body! Was this finally the man she had been looking for?_

_As the dozen competitors spread around Iso he didn't even flinch. "I hear you're an island of sword smiths," he said in a smug voice. Reaching behind his back, he pulled out an empty sword handle. "So let me show you how a REAL sword is forged!"_

_Iso screamed as crimson energy exploded around him, his aura destroying the dirt surrounding him. Energy shot from the edge of the handle, extending into the air. However, that didn't last as the uncontrollable force began to condense, growing smaller and smaller until it finally became a solid object. Iso now held a rather large crimson-bladed sword in his hand._

_"_That_ is a real sword," he smiled. "I shall call it the Eehuah!"_

_Not one soul in the entire town square could utter a word._

_"What, you're speechless?" Suddenly he shot forward in a red flash. "Well you should be! This is a time to fight!"_

_In one lightning quick slash a competitor was rend in two._

_The other swordsmen reeled in fear, but realizing there was now no other choice they rushed him in a group. They leapt into the air, burying Iso in a dog pile. However, it was nothing for the powerhouse. Several swings of his brand-new weapon made ribbons of the attackers; he looked on admiringly as the severed bodies tumbled around him._

_"Gotcha!" one fighter yelled as he leapt behind Iso. The weapon he carried had two blades, one smaller than the other, with a small space between the two. Thrusting his sword forward, he managed to wedge the Eehuah within the space. "Let's see how well you fight when I've broken your weapon!"_

_Without saying a word Iso turned his wrist, completely shattering the sword-breaker. With one horizontal swing the fighter followed suit; his torso flew in one direction while his legs flew in another._

_However, there were still some of the competitors left alive. Iso felt a gust of wind hurling towards him, and as he waved his powerful sword it unleashed a storm of red that rendered the small blast useless._

_Screaming, a competitor swung his sword, the force of it creating a blade of wind that again soared towards Iso._

_"That's somewhat impressive," the powerhouse admitted as he raised the Eehuah above his head, "And by somewhat I mean not at all!"_

_Swinging the Eehuah vertically, Iso unleashed a crescent-shaped projectile of pure crimson power that tore through the gust and its creator effortlessly. The competitor's body had been cut into two symmetrical halves that fell to the ground like chopped timber._

_Only one contestant remained, and with a scream of terror he turned and ran for the exit._

_"Smart, to run," Iso began, "But a smart coward still deserves to die!" Waving his sword, a beam of energy leapt off the end, transforming into a whip-like attack. It stopped the coward in his tracks, ensnaring his legs. However, the end continued to go, curling back around and impaling the final contestant straight through the heart._

_As the final competitor hit the ground, fallen in a puddle of his own blood, the crowd went crazy. Hoards of panicked citizens ran in all directions, nearly trampling some of the weaker ones._

_Toa, however, moved against the crowed—_towards_ Iso. Upon her face was pasted something she had not been seen with in ages: a smile. _

_'_That is the power I've been looking for! Someone who strives for greatness! I—I must meet him!_'_

_However, as the beauty moved closer to the madman, she was grabbed by several people running past._

_"What're you doing broad!"_

_"Yer gonna get yourself killed!" _

_She strained to free herself, but to no avail. Already caught in the unstoppable flow of the crazed crowd, Toa was carried far away from the man she desired so deeply to meet._

_But this wouldn't stop her. Iso was the only man for her. Only he had the power that could satisfy her. And he would be hers._

_"What should we do sir?" a soldier asked. Iso ignored his subordinate for a second as he soaked in the splendor of the fear he had created._

_Finally, he answered. "Nothing. Their fear is already consuming them—they'll be easy to take control of. Every island will. As I've already shown, nobody can stand against my will!"_

_Toa stood before her fireplace, an exquisite antique sword in her hands. It was the only remaining sword created by her late father—the only legacy passed down to her. With barely a thought, and certainly no hesitation, the woman tossed the weapon into the fire._

_Embers scattered from the open flame, but the delicate figure had already turned her back on her legacy, her shapely hips rocking back and forth as if they had a life of their own as she moved towards the window. Despite being nearly across the island, she could still see the intimidating crimson ship in the harbor._

_"The power of the sword is obsolete," she whispered to herself, memories of the white-haired man permeating her mind. "_His_ power is the way of the future!"_

_Around Iso chaos reigned as his small group of servants milled in and out of the room, scurrying like ants. The white-haired conqueror, however, sat peacefully in an exquisite throne of crimson stone. No matter what anarchy surrounded him, he could find peace here—here alone with his thoughts, he could plan the fall of the world!_

_"Lord Iso-sama, sir!"_

_His solitude interrupted, Iso looked towards the man, his second-in-command. "Yes, Ano. How goes the domination?"_

_ Ano jumped a bit, as his lord's question had nothing to do with the information he had to deliver. Still, why would he possibly ignore a request of Iso? He valued his life!_

_"It's going quite well, milord," he began excitedly. "We've already covered half of the island, and those few able to physically resist us didn't last for long." He removed a red crystal on a chain from his pocket. "We are running rather low on connectors, though."_

_Iso smiled. "Then I'll create some more after I've had my supper. Marvelous devices, aren't they?" Ano nodded, having seen their effects first hand on the most rowdy of citizens. "By physical contact they create a direct connection to my omnipotent power. I can take their energy, their very _will_, creating the perfect inhabitants of my new world._

_"After all, there can be no rebellions, war, crime or strife in a world of mindless servants, can there?"_

_"Of course not!" Ano exclaimed, truly convinced. "A world united under your power is the best place we could possibly live!" The servant's master nodded happily, and then waved him aside. He started to move to leave before remembering that this wasn't what he had planned to discuss at all. His hesitation was enough to tip Iso off._

_Raising an eyebrow the conqueror sighed. "What else is there, Ano?" _

_"Well, milord, it seems we _are _having trouble with one particular subject,"_

_"Trouble?" Iso interjected. "How can _my_ troops be having trouble with one person? What is he?"_

_"Um, it seems that she,"_

_"SHE!" Iso again interrupted. "My best soldiers are having trouble with a _woman_!"_

_Suddenly the doors to his crown room shot open as two of his soldiers stumbled in, each one desperately around the neck of a single woman. They were trying their hardest to fully contain her, but straining with each step she doggedly moved forward._

_Growling, Iso stood and fiercely walked towards the intruder. "What the hell do you think you're doing, woman?"_

_The furrow on her face softened at the sound of the man's voice. With almost effortless movements she swung the two soldiers into each other—the sound of skulls meeting echoing through the room—and tossed them aside like used cigarettes._

_"I am simply…trying to meet you." With her near-captors disposed of she finally stood up straight, and Iso was surprised that such a powerful woman could be so beautiful. She wiped a curled black bang from her eyes. "I saw your power when you first arrived. It's…beyond my wildest dreams. I just…just want to be a part of that amazing power!"_

_Ano gasped out loud. "Are you insane, woman? You think you can just waltz in here and—"_

_"Quiet Ano!" Iso commanded, waving his hand before his stunned assistant. Instantly the man shut his mouth, slapping his hand over it for due measure. Turning his sights towards the visitor he began. "I can see that you're powerful, but I plan to pit my power against the entire world. Tell me, are you willing to take on everybody on the planet?"_

_A smile of pure pleasure crossed her face. "I'm up to _anything_, as long as it is by your side."_

_Just as Iso opened his mouth to continue, another door opened unexpectedly and one of his guards dashed through as if shot out of a cannon. "Lord Iso-sama! Lord Iso-sama! The Stratogale Pirates were just spotted in the bay! They're starting an all out attack!"_

_"Really?" Instead of showing fear, Iso simply seemed annoyed. "So, they've followed me here? I'd figured they'd have learned their lesson after what I did to the other fleet."_

_Looking over his shoulder Iso asked, "Woman! What is your name?"_

_"They call me…Toa."_

_He waved his hand, beckoning her. "Come, Toa. This is the perfect opportunity to see just what you can do."_

_Toa's eyes grew wide, almost sparkling from the pure rush of joy running through her body. She walked to the man's side, unsure of what to expect. Suddenly she was enveloped in a ball of blinding light, and then they were gone._

_Iso and Toa reappeared on a beach, not far from where his ship was docked. Coming towards the coast was a small ship, the Jolly Roger—with jagged bolts of lightning behind it—flying on their flag._

_Small tinges of fear sparked in Toa as she stared at the powerhouse beside her, but if she was going to be at his side forever she had to lose that, she told herself. She had to be the one person who could speak freely to him. "So, you—you know them?"_

_"Not personally," Iso said, "but their part of a fleet from my home island. Probably one of the only ones left."_

_"The only ones left?"_

_"Even when the rest of the world is peacefully unified under my great power," he said as the boat drew closer, "I will make sure that island never becomes more than a floating pile of ashes. They way they treated me showed me the need for my power in this world," he paused as his eyebrows arched fiercely, "but more importantly, they caused me to _do_ something about it."_

_The boat hit shore, and several dozen sailors leapt over the side of the ship, charging towards the two. Toa panicked for a second, but quickly came to her senses. She knew that his power was more than enough to take down anything they faced!_

_As his pirates rushed Iso and Toa, a man in the crow's next took a stand. "Iso! You'll pay for all the lives you—"_

_With a wave of his hand Iso unleashed a spiraling beam of red that obliterated much of the boat. The remains of the crow's next fell into the deck, and the pirate aboard rolled backwards onto the unharmed back deck. Behind him was a rather large contraption, with a sailor manning a handle on each side._

_"You think you can kill me?" Iso asked defiantly as he floated over the men. "Yes, I suppose a small group of misfits can take down the powerhouse that destroyed nearly their entire island."_

_"I don't know how you did that," the pirate spat, "But even you can't survive the machine!"_

_The two sailors began turning the handles, and sparks flew up both sides of the device._

_Iso licked his lips. "I can think of over a dozen ways I could immobilize that thing with almost just a thought," he stopped as he chuckled, "But I think it'll be more fun just to let you see how worthless the power of your island is compared to one 'worthless' inhabitant!"_

_Meanwhile, dozens of bloodthirsty pirates charged towards Toa. Most women would be intimidated by a band of marauding miscreants with only one—perhaps _two—_things on their mind, but this woman certainly wasn't. On her mind was only impressing that man!_

_"Death Scatter!" she cried as her outstretched palms ignited into white flames. The blasts of pure life-force exploded in every direction, becoming cris-crossing beacons of death as they mercilessly impaled Toa's opponents._

_"Fire!" the captain exclaimed as the machine reached full-capacity. The sky seemed on fire as the shot of electricity roared towards the seemingly unaffected Iso. Thunder roared as the attack hit its target, and for what seemed like ages the lightning surged forward. Finally as it faded and the roar died all that was left standing was—a smoking Iso, floating without a single scratch!_

_A beam of crimson tore through the machine as he landed beside the captain, grabbing the man's face with his palm and lifting him into the air. "Now die, like everybody else on that worthless island!" The captain screamed as his body started to glow red. Steam poured from him as he vaporized, and in a matter of minutes he was nothing but a pile of ashes._

_As he turned towards the two who had run the machine, gale-force winds leapt from his body and rushed past them. The very force of it sent their skin flying far from the rest of their body._

_"Crescent Blade!" Toa screamed as she twisted through the air. A v-shaped beam of chi leapt from her fingers and tore through an attacker, while her leg planted itself in the neck of another antagonist._

_However, the numbers were getting to the woman, and as she landed she was overtaken by most of the remaining pirates, who leapt atop her into a giant dog pile._

_The stragglers were still rushing to join the fun as Iso landed in the middle of them. "This electricity tickles. I don't think I'll carry it anymore." Suddenly the very electricity he had absorbed moments before exploded around him, leaving the pirates no better than charcoal. "Now, to rescue the woman. How disa—" _

_"Don't speak so soon!" The pirates in the dog pile gasped as they began to glow, each one becoming swallowed up in an incandescent beacon of light. "Detonate!"_

_A ball of chi roared across the sand, utterly decimating all those close to Toa. The provocative shadow of the woman appeared in the center of the attack as the power retreated to a small flame blowing from her fingertips. She smirked. "What was that about being disappointed?"_

_"On the contrary: I'm quite impressed." Iso craned his neck as he gave himself a better view of the woman. "You've learned to completely manipulate your chi. You can bend your life force to your very will."_

_The smirk turned to a full fledged smile. "Absolutely. This island has lived for centuries on the art of the sword, but I can see that the future runs on _your _power. I certainly don't have it, but," she laughed as the chi in her palm flared, "I have the next best thing."_

_For the first time in a long time, Iso actually smiled. "Certainly. Come, we have much to discuss."_

_He rested his hand on her shoulder as they were both again covered in the light of Iso's teleportation. "But before we start, just let me tell you something. Lose the attack names. That's never going to go anywhere." _

_Toa's wildest dreams were coming true. Across the table sat Iso, the most powerful man she could imagine. Since the second she set eyes on him she knew he wanted him and here, now, it seemed it might come true._

_Steaming food, delicious enough to make gourmets cry in shame, went to waste on her plate, seeing as her eyes were set only on Iso. One of the powerhouse's servants arrived as she watched with a tray of various red bottles. Iso swept them all into his grasp, covering his meal with streams of burning liquid. Toa's eyes watered from across the table._

_Then, in one lumbering movement, Iso swallowed his meal whole._

_"W-wow…"_

_Iso raised an eyebrow, confused by Toa's bewilderment. "What? I _like_ spicy food." Then he chuckled as he pushed the decimated plate aside, where the same servant promptly disposed of it in the bat of an eye. All the while smoke flew from the white-haired man's ears._

_Amused, Toa decided to skip these formalities and use the openness that had already developed between her and her love. "So tell me, where did this great power of yours come from?"_

_Licking hot sauce from his lips, Iso said, "To keep the story short, from a Devil's Fruit called Konki Konki. It allows me to absorb any type of energy and store it, letting me reuse it later or even reconfigure the power to something more useful! The crimson blasts I so often use are created by combining my _own_ chi with my Konki abilities."_

_"Fascinating." Toa's eyes actually glistened as she heard of the man's abilities. "What amazing power…a power such as yours…deserves the world!"_

_ This pleased Iso, who floated across the table to the woman as he pulled something from his pocket. "So, you're willing to risk your life fighting at my side…forever?"_

_"Absolutely."_

_"Then you won't mind," he slipped a small crimson rock on a chain over her head, "Wearing this symbol of allegiance."_

_Instantly the two could feel the connection. Toa finally witnessed the true depths of his amazing powers. Iso, meanwhile, couldn't miss the intensity of her passion for him _and_ his power. His powers flared, but for the first time they proved useless. Toa's will was too strong to be absorbed through the connecter. _

_She was _the_ one._

_This woman was no idiot. "So, have I proven my loyalty to you?"_

_"Without a doubt," her love said. "You will be a part of this army, a part of the new power over this world!" He paused for a second. "I only have one thing to ask of you."_

_Swords, spears, and even guns of every variety lined the walls of Iso's armory, but the weapons that caught Toa's attention glimmered with the crimson power to which she had become so enamored. _

_"Your sword!" The Eehuah blade, created when Iso first set foot on Ianoa Island, was sheathed on the side of a crimson tunic. "With your power, why did you create it?"_

_"Because," Iso again explained, shocked that he was this patient and honest with the woman. She was completely in love with him, so in love that she would bend to his every whim, yet he found himself not wanting to abuse that power. Perhaps, just perhaps, he felt the same way for her. "Because even my power has one weakness. Like all Devil's Fruit abilities, they stop working in the ocean._

_"It would be foolhardy to strive for the world and not plan for somebody to attack my weakness. The Eehuah, as well as the Ehedren armor, contain a portion of my power and chi, which are controlled by the user's willpower. If I become incapacitated, they provide me a perfect offense and defense regardless of any ill effects of water."_

_"Brilliant," Toa said, jaw agape. "I am honored that you're sharing all of this with me…"_

_Iso turned quickly. "This isn't what I brought you here to see." He pulled a small box from a shelf on the wall. "_This_ is."_

_As the top of the delicate container opened, Toa could see a small purple fruit resting inside. "A…Devil's Fruit?"_

_"The Yoken Yoken Fruit," Iso said proudly. "Your offense is dazzling, but chi drains quickly. This will add to your defense." He put his hand on her shoulder. "However, the powers of this fruit will also enable you to take your rightful place at my _side_. You will be my Oracle."_

_If the consequences of eating a Devil's Fruit, or even the idea of being an Oracle, were passing through Toa's mind, she paid those ideas little thought. "At your side? Not just in your army, but at your side?"_

_"Absolutely. I guarantee you nobody else will be closer. No soldier had the _courage_ to do this tiny deed. Apparently they'd rather swim."_

_There was no hesitation as the woman took the fruit from the box and quickly swallowed a bite. Her excitement overrode her taste buds—indeed, euphoria almost made the bitter fruit sweet._

_"So," she asked, "where do we go from here?"_

_Weeks passed, but little had changed. The smaller towns of Ianoa Island hadn't taken long to fall under control, but even with the entire population brainwashed under Iso's power, the Ehever boat still sat ominously in the island's harbor._

_However, there was one significant difference aboard the vessel. The personal quarters of Iso had become home to _two.

_Iso fell from atop his love, both sighing in pleasure. No matter how they fit into each other's agendas, they were most certainly in love. Every second together was ecstasy—and fittingly, most of those seconds had been spent _in_ ecstasy since Toa's very first night aboard the Ehever._

_It seemed like ages before Iso spoke up. "So, m'love…any luck with your powers yet?"_

_Toa's face fell. "I'm sorry," she said softly, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "I've been trying, honestly. I just still don't understand what I'd do to get an ability to work in the first place!"_

_"It's okay," Iso reassured her, though inside he was growing frustrated. He wasn't moving forward until he had an Oracle—the last piece he needed to be truly and utterly unbeatable. Still, she had eaten the fruit, and there was no doubt her abilities would kick in eventually. Until then, there was still plenty to do._

_Rolling over, he again grasped her shoulder. "But I know what you can do to make it up to me…"_

_"Lord Iso-sama sir!" Ano exclaimed, bursting through the door._

_Toa screamed as her love pulled up the sheets, pure hatred blazing in his eyes. The walls rattled. "Ano, just what in the hell do you think you—"_

_"I'm sorry Lord Iso-sama, but this is a top-level emergency!" he cried. "A pirate ship has appeared on the far edge of the island! We don't recognize its flag but—"_

_"Them!" Iso growled. His entire body shimmered crimson as his clothes suddenly appeared on him. He rose from the bed as if propelled by an angry wind. "I knew I should have totally obliterated those fools last time they showed up!"_

_"Darling?" Toa said, concerned. "Do you need—"_

_"I don't need anybody's help. Last time I was just testing you and having fun. This time there will be no mercy. They will learn to stop coming after me!"_

_Light began shining around Iso, illuminating the quarters with his powers. "I'll be back, m'love. It'll only take a few seconds."_

_In a flash the man was gone, leaving his lover shaken, still in his bed, still feeling his touch. His servant was also left in the room, but he was quickly chased out by streams of chi._

_'_I hope he's okay,_' Toa thought as she fell back against her pillow. '_Something just doesn't seem right he—_'_

_Suddenly it hit her—not only her funny feeling, but also a full-fledged premonition. _

_The sky was lit red, a whirlpool of energy spiraling around Iso. On the ground a mustached man defiantly stood against her love. An attack was launched, but just as easily reversed. Then the sky itself seemed to tear apart—_

_Leaping from the bed Toa feverishly threw her clothes on, already sweating armor-piercing bullets. Not wasting time exiting properly she leapt through the window, landing as if the several-story jump was nothing and exploding forward into a prodigious dash. All her body's chi was focused in her legs, and she was bounding across the landscape like a cheetah out of hell._

_As she ran, it replayed itself in her mind—constantly. Her love. The mustached man. A reflected attack. A hole in the very sky itself. Then nothing._

_Toa could see the far shore drawing close, and leaping into the sky she sent a beam of chi into the ground which propelled her far above the rooftops._

_From there, she was met with horror. Not the horror of the unexpected, but the perhaps even more terrifying horror of dreams brought to life. _

_A whirlpool of red was hurling towards Iso, straying far from its intended target. The mustached man was straining to repel the attack and was doing a tremendous job of it; Iso was uncertain if he could dodge in time! Still, the white light of his teleportation started to form—and at that exact moment Iso's own attack hit its maker._

_Iso screamed like a man deranged as the crimson waves surrounded him, combining with the beginnings of his attempted teleportation as they warped the very sky. As reality itself was bending, Iso was becoming smaller and smaller, until finally he was completely immersed in the attack. A crimson sphere shrank until—in mere moments—it had condensed into a gorgeous crystal._

_With tremendous backlash the sky repaired itself, and Toa screamed desperately as the stone was lost behind the mended hole in the sky. Where once chaos had reigned moments before, silence was finally heard._

_Even Toa was deathly silent, too stunned to make a sound as she fell from the sky. Tears left a trail behind her. The woman's mind kept replaying the scene, this time seen for real. There was no way Iso of all people could be beaten, yet here he was, a victim of his own reflected attack and the wormhole it had triggered! So it was understandable that, with all this on her mind, she forgot she had leapt far into the air. The silence was finally broken by the sound of her body hitting the ground._

_"No…" she whispered pitifully, grasping her hand around nothing in a vain effort to move. "I've…got to survive…if only to see him again…"_

_The connector around her neck started to shine radiantly, but its wearer regained little of her health. '_Damn!' _she cursed to herself. '_With him so small, weakened, and so far away, even the connector can't heal me properly! I can't believe…I can't believe…_'_

_"That I've screwed it up so badly…twice…"_

_As her tears spattered on the ground a halo of crimson encircled Toa and flittering waves of energy moved through the air, focusing on the fallen warrior. Toa rose to the ground, almost robotic in her movement. As quickly as the phenomenon had began, it ended, the circle retreating into Toa. It was like _magic

_"Through enough effort I was able to open a better link to my love's power through only my thought!" she realized, "and by channeling the little power I could into _my_ chi I can achieve what he never could…I can heal!"_

_However, the revelation wasn't enough, and Toa fell to her knees. "Some good it's done though. Iso has saved me, yet _I_ let him down! I failed him! Even with advanced warning…I couldn't save him!"_

_Her cries were partially drowned out by her sobs. "Why couldn't I save him!" _

_Suddenly, just as space had contorted in the sky, time decided to unravel itself in the woman's head. The trauma had finally unlocked the true powers of the Yoken Yoken—and now it showed Toa all._

_She saw a new society dedicated to bringing back her love—with her as its mother. A scared little boy who hated himself so much he'd latch onto anybody. A woman whose death would give her a most valuable new pawn. Soldiers who owed her their very life. _

_Then she saw _them. _The rubber boy. The detective. Perhaps most importantly, the user of _santoryu—_after all, what can rile up a swordsman more than another swordsman? She could see how they would be the ones to return her lover to her, and the ones to open a new world to her love._

_"Yes, that's it," she told herself. "I couldn't save him…it was fate…fate stopped me because it wanted me…wanted me to bring my love to greater places…_

_"I couldn't save Iso because fate wanted me to help propel him to a greater destiny than just one world!"_

_Toa rose, her newfound philosophy blotting out her guilt. In a dash she was gone, leaving her lover's attackers unharmed. Why attack them? After all, she hadn't seen herself kill them in her visions of the future, had she? Fate was in control of Toa's life now._

_Iso's entire crew was gathered in the meeting room of the Ehever, which itself was submerged far beneath the surface of the sea, just off the coast of Ianoa Island._

_"What are we doing _here!_" Ano cried, standing before his fellow soldiers. "Those pirates are destroying all the connecters! They defeated Iso! We should be—"_

_"Silence!" Toa demanded from the stage. "Iso left me as his second-in-command, so I would deem it unwise to question my orders."_

_She smiled as the soldiers immediately grew quiet. '_They're so fun to mess around with,_' she thought. "And as Iso's Oracle, I've seen the future." Balls of chi sparked to life in her palms, and several grunts gasped._

_"I've seen the remarks some of you made when you found out. How many of you didn't even believe in his dream? His power? Said it was only a matter of time, that he'd been growing crazier, or had lost focus since _I _came around!_

_"Fortunately, fate has chosen a cruel fate for you Doubting Thomases." Suddenly she was the only one alive in the room, as a wall of burning white energy decimated the entire crowd, blowing across the floor like a tidal wave._

_Speaking to no one in particular, Toa continued. "It's time for a new society. The age of the Iso-jin has dawned! And through it, my love will soon return!"_

With the Iso-jin's purpose fulfilled Mother had become Toa again, and now she watched from her love's side as he seethed at the thought of the great disaster that had started it all.

"There was no way Gold Roger could have defeated me!" Iso exclaimed. "That mustached buffoon landed on _my_ island, defied _my_ power, and despite facing someone _immeasurably_ more powerful than himself, didn't give up and instead reflected my own attack back at me!

"I cannot believe he had the nerve to put someone like myself through what I've gone through when he had no right to survive that battle! And then to settle for becoming just the King of the Pirates…

"If he hadn't already died I'd kill him myself."

"Enough with the bullshit!" Luffy cried. All eyes were instantly on the rubberman. "Who cares how he beat you! Maybe Gold Roger didn't think you were strong enough to attack himself! It doesn't matter; all that does matter is that you lost! He defeated you, and for all the bullshit you've said about him I'll defeat you too!"

Nami shook her head sadly. "You'll beat Iso because of what he said about Gold Roger? What about all he's done to _us?_"

Monkey D. Luffy—as he often did—completely ignored his navigator. "I'll kick your Iso-jin ass so hard you'll be wishing you were back in that shiny rock!"

Silence fell for a moment before Iso began laughing. "_You'll_ defeat me? Funny. You can beat me but the twelve of you can't? You can beat me but your idol, the very King of the Pirates, couldn't without cheating? You can't win, and you know it.

"And while were at it, don't compare me with those Iso-jin. They were simply tools of my love's to free me, and since they've done their job they're over now. Ian renounced us, after all. Ivan's dead. The soldiers back home were never of much use anyway…"

Chopper's eyes shot open wide. "Wait, Ivan died? Really!" The reindeer turned to Beast Boy, who tried to avoid his friend's gaze. "How'd I miss _that_?"

"Dad's…dead?" Ian had finally managed to drag himself to his feet, though Tashigi hadn't been quite so fortunate yet. "And I'll bet that until the very end he still thought you cared about him, Mother."

Toa didn't deny it; in fact, she actually looked proud.

"And you!" The former Iso-jin now turned to the so-called 'Great Power.' "You're may think you're helping us, but don't fool yourself! You're only in this in the first place to gain more power! I can't believe I wasted so many years of my life thinking _you_ were the cure to Ianoa Island's sickness!" His blood-drenched hand clenched the handle of his sword.

Zoro yelled, "Hey dumbass, stand down before your wounds open again!"

Ian ignored his former rival. Energy exploded as he drew the Eehuah. "Crimson Blade!"

A curving streak of deadly energy cut through the sky and attempted to do the same to Iso—but not surprisingly, the powerhouse was utterly unharmed.

"I believe that belongs to me," Iso said with a smile. He waved both his hands, and the Eehuah and its sheath flew from Ian's grip and into the grasp of their creator. He raised the weapon above his head as if he was about to chop wood with an axe.

Iso laughed as power built in Eehuah. "It's certainly been fun getting to play with you all, but the time has come to put an end to this for good! After all, I can't spend too much time here with you when there are more heroes…"

He turned to Robin as he continued. "…_better_ heroes to get out of the way of my plans." The Boy Wonder's teeth gnashed at the insinuation. "Don't feel bad though! Your lives aren't without meaning! I mean, you've revived me, haven't you!"

'_This is it!'_ Toa exclaimed in her mind, '_This is what I've been waiting for, the moment I've bragged to Cyborg about and replayed through my Yoken Yoken over and over!_

_'Now is the time that my love will launch the one, final attack that obliterates the Straw Hat Pirates, Teen Titans, and this worthless base once and for all!'_

However, despite whatever the oracle had foreseen, time and fate decided to play games with the future. Just as the great power moved to act on his threats, an explosion rocked the far wall. As rubble poured like dirty rain more blasts detonated, and an entire wall on the far side of the room started to crumble.

"No!" Toa exclaimed, so worked up that she spoke her thoughts aloud. "This isn't what's supposed to happen! Not at all!"

"What's the matter? Can't handle the unexpected?"

From high atop a plateau, where the Stone of Iso Toa had been kept and Iso had been released, a figure moved from the shadows, his black and silver costume torn and shredded but his gait not showing the same signs of damage. As he walked he placed a brand new brown and black mask, with only one eyehole, over his perpetually unseen face.

"Perhaps you should learn to be more flexible," Slade suggested. "After all, I couldn't let you kill the children. I've reserved that right for myself!"

Both Robin and Toa's face contorted into physics defying shapes. "Slade!"

"Obviously," the madman stated, as if he hadn't been blown through a wall by a spiraling energy beam and presumed dead. "That was only a flesh wound compared to some of the things I've been through. However, I know you're capable of worse—and besides, I've been looking forward to killing you too, old woman.

"I've activated the base's self-destruct mechanism. We only have minutes to go before this entire hideout falls in on itself. Tell me, 'Great Power', can even you survive that?"

Iso smiled, prepared to answer until Toa leapt into the air and tackled Slade, sending the terrorist across his own base and into the catwalks and beams lining the ceiling. Slade arched into a landing, and the Iso-jin founder wasn't far behind.

"It's your fault!" She exclaimed. "You're the one who's ruined everything!"

Again Toa lunged, but a well-placed roundhouse kick sent her sprawling to the side. "My my, it seems you have some issues to work out," Slade observed before dashing after her.

"Dammit, the blasts knocked him unconscious again!" Zoro grumbled as he returned from the entrance, Ian in one arm and Tashigi in the other.

"What does it matter, seaweed head?" growled Sanji as Usopp ran behind him, screaming for his life. "We have to worry about getting out of here first!"

Fortunately, an escape was nothing to one Titan. "Now that Iso's been released and his energy isn't being channeled through the walls," Raven began, "I should be able to phase us out of here and onto the surface."

Usopp stopped in his tracks before leaping into the air in joy. "Hooray, we're saved!"

"Saved?" Iso suddenly appeared before the group. "I was about to destroy you all in one stroke. What makes you think I can't do it again?" Usopp pointed, but before he could even speak the powerhouse interrupted him. "And before you say it, let me remind you of my teleportation abilities. This death trap has nothing on me."

Usopp's arm and jaw dropped, but as Iso moved to finish the group for the second time in mere moments he was stopped, this time, by a Redbird boomerang soaring straight into his forehead.

Before he could even recover, an elongated leg slammed into his side. "Rubber Whip!"

"Good distraction guys!" Cyborg called to Luffy and Robin as the two watched their opponent soar sideways. "C'mon, let's get out of here!"

"We can't!" Robin exclaimed.

"What do you mean, Robin?" Starfire cried. "Why can you not leave with us!"

The Boy Wonder looked pained as he continued. "Because we can't let Iso leave this cave! As powerful as he is here, it's nothing compared to if he got to the surface! Just the sunlight alone would increase his power ten-fold within seconds!"

"So I see," Zoro smiled as he fingered the hilt of a katana. "We gotta take him down before this cave explodes and we all die. Sounds like fun."

"No." Luffy commanded, much to his first mate's surprise. "I'm gonna fight this guy myself!"

Robin smiled. "Me too. You guys get out of here! We're going to need you…in case the plan fails."

The Tamaranian's normally orange skin grew pale. "If the plan…fails!"

"Are you sure?" Raven asked as darkness started leaking from her fingertips. The two leaders nodded.

Suddenly the silence of the departing group was broken by one member dashing towards the two stragglers. "Wait!"

Next thing Luffy knew he had been driven into the ground by Nami's fist.

"What was that for!" The rubberman cried as he rubbed his injured butt.

Nami stuck out her tongue playfully. "For luck!" Then she turned to Robin, pulling something from her pocket. "And this is for you."

"What—"

"I have no clue what it is, actually," the navigator admitted. "When Slade captured me I managed to pick his pocket. I was hoping for a bomb or something, but that disk was all I could find." She sighed, her Straw Hat topped head drooping. "I kept telling myself I would help today, so I'm sorry that's all I could do."

Slipping the tiny computer chip into his utility belt, Robin didn't seem concerned. "Hey, picking Slade's pocket is impressive enough to me!"

"Now leave the rest to us!" Luffy declared.

A few tears welled in Nami's eyes as she nodded and then turned, dashing back to the retreating group. "Don't die," she whispered.

Beside her, Beast Boy groaned. "Aww, c'mon! You know you're never supposed to say that!"

"Azarath…"

Rings of black flew from Raven's fingers, surrounding the ten heroes.

"…Metrion…"

The energy grew into seemingly endless walls of darkness, which swallowed them up before taking the shape of an enormous raven.

"…Zinthos!"

With a cry that would put even a mighty lion to shame the portal of cold, lifeless energy took flight and disappeared into the roof, leaving the Titan and the pirate very much alone.

"I can't tell if you're brave, or just plain stupid," Iso said as he emerged from beneath some wreckage, wiping aside several ton boulders as if they were dandruff.

"I say we're brave," Robin chuckled as he reached for his belt, "because you've already got stupid taken!"

Luffy cracked his knuckles and looked towards his enemy with fierce eyes that could stop a demon in their tracks. "Yeah, red guy! Your ass is grass!"

Next time: Weaknesses—Fight Against Time and Power!


	27. Chapter 27

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 27: Weaknesses—Fight Against Time and Power!**

The ground shook, rock tumbling from the ceiling and entire walls crumbling as explosives detonated throughout the underground fortress of Slade. In only minutes the entire compound would be nothing but rubble. Despite that ominous fate, five beings still remained within the doomed cavern—each tangled within the life-and-death web the Iso-jin had weaved.

"Rubber Pistol!"

A boy twisted as he soared through the air, his elastic body stretching from the force of his leap as his elongated arm soared forward. The attack's target, a crimson clad man with white hair, floated in the path of the oncoming punch as if it was nothing. He was Iso, a man with control over energy itself whose goal was just as impressive—the total domination of two worlds!

Meanwhile, the rubberman was Monkey D. Luffy, the Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. Steam flew from the boy's ears as he attacked—thoughts of Iso's many deeds ran through his head. Not only had he and his minions threatened the lives of Luffy's friends and the entire world, but he had insulted Gold Roger! If Luffy was ever to ascend to Roger's vacant spot as King of the Pirates, he couldn't let this deed go unpunished!

Smirking, Iso twisted to the side and let the punch roar past him, and then wrapped his arm around his opponent's rubber appendage, catching it in a lock. "Not too smart," he mocked.

"Again!" Luffy cried, not wasting a moment in throwing another Rubber Pistol with his free arm. And, again, Iso caught this attack beneath his other arm.

"I've immobilized you," Iso smirked. "Definitely not sm—"

"Rubber…" Not caring what position he was in, Luffy began another attack. He started somersaulting, spinning his entire body in circles, suspended between his two ensnared arms. Iso's eyes shot open wide—not smart! The imbecile had somehow planned this entire attack!

"…BUZZSAW!"

With a snap the pirate's arms retracted, sending his whirling 'blade' of a body straight for the evil powerhouse. Only moments before the strike would have landed Iso disappeared in a flash of white, reappearing on the cavern floor far below his still spinning opponent.

Before he even had a chance to gloat a steel-toed boot plowed into his face. Iso stumbled backwards as a green and red clad boy wasted not a moment in launching another attack.

He was Robin, an acrobatic detective and leader of the Teen Titans. He had sworn to protect this city, and he would defend it from slime like Iso with his very life!

"Luffy may be no genius," Robin admitted, "but you're not all that smart either!" As he taunted Iso the Boy Wonder swung a hook, and as the disoriented villain managed to slap it aside he was overtaken by a kick upside his chin. With the same leg Robin contorted for another strike, but Iso blocked it with his forearm—only for the Titan to use it for a boost to soar above Iso's defense and deliver a powerful right hook!

Robin's opponent skidded across the floor, and the teen wasted no time in catching up. "I mean, would a smart guy be wasting his power teleporting from attacks he claims are 'nothing for him' when he needs every ounce of energy to teleport out of this death trap!"

Finally gaining his bearings Iso caught a punch within his massive palm, but Robin used his opponent's grip to pull himself forward and land a sickening shot to the gut. Regaining his arm as the crimson-clad man started to drop, the Titan prepared for a cross-chop across the head. However, Iso had finally had enough with the endless barrage.

"Insolent brat!" he cried as wind whirled from his body, ripping small shards of Robin's costume—and skin—straight off. As Iso prepared to up the attack to hurricane levels he found himself enveloped in an assault of rubber appendages.

"Rubber Fireworks!" Luffy cried as he twisted his body into a rapid storm of attacks that rained fists and sandals upon Iso. Knowing Robin had been correct, Iso decided to implement a less wasteful course of action; a faint golden halo appeared around his body as energy he had stolen from Terra was sacrificed to send a pillar of stone into the rubberman. Monkey D. Luffy landed next to his friend, both battered.

Iso frowned as he continued. "We must be a trio of idiots then," he grunted. "Why do you two risk your lives in a fight you know you can't win?"

"Our lives are in danger every day," Robin replied nonchalantly as he rose to his feet. "This is nothing special."

"Yeah!" Luffy agreed as he wiped dirt from his shirt. "Our dreams are worth risking our lives for!"

A smile crossed the white-haired man's face. "You must know I could escape this place and leave you to die any time you want. Your sacrifice would mean nothing."

"Yet," Robin smiled, "You won't. The 'Great Power' Iso can't be seen running from a fight!"

"Of course he wouldn't," Luffy continued. "That would make him a coward, right?" The way the boy was scratching his head made it doubtful he was just playing along.

Something inside of Iso snapped, and every last thought of leaving them to die evacuated his head. "Enough!" Suddenly he had exploded forward, planting his foot into Luffy's chin, and he followed the rubberman's flight through the air.

Robin heaved a sigh of relief. _'Good. At least we've got him contained. Now the others have all the time to create a back-up plan!'_

Luffy regained his bearings as he soared, somersaulting and planting his feet into the wall; the rock shifted beneath him from the force of the landing, but the boy wasn't planning on staying there long anyway.

"Rubber…" In a flash he was again soaring through the air, this time propelled by his own power. He spiraled like a well-thrown football, his arms and legs naturally stretching behind him, looking like the tail of a shooting star. "…COMET!"

The powerhouse's stomach might as well have had a target painted on it—the Rubber Comet struck straight in Iso's gut. If Iso had the power to stop a shooting star he sure didn't choose to use it as the rubberman propelled him towards the ground. The pirate's spiraling body created massive friction as it bore into its opponent, but strangely enough, this didn't bother him. Friction is just heat—even more power to absorb!

Iso's feet sunk into stone like it was sand as Luffy's technique tried to bury him—grinning diabolically, the white-haired man dared touch the spinning terror. Despite rotating fast enough to juice the world's largest radish, the boy's enemy was able to restrain him with no effort! Iso had a hand clamped down on each of the captain's arms, holding him well in place.

"Unfortunately, I haven't the pleasure of absorbing the impact of a _real_ comet," Iso lamented, "but if I had to imagine what it'd feel like, I'd wager _this _is pretty close." Suddenly Luffy's face was enveloped by the palm of the 'Great Power', and only a second later his hand literally exploded. Luffy flew as if launched from a medieval catapult, but Iso's hand was unharmed—as was quite expected.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

With the same unexpected speed of his last technique Iso was now being attacked, and he just managed to strafe past a battle-ending blow. Blood leaked from a slash across his side, and if one followed the trail of the sacred fluid it led to the tip of a red and yellow sword, held in the hands of Robin the Boy Wonder.

Raising one perplexed eyebrow Iso inquired, "Didn't I already destroy that thing?"

Grinning, Robin slashed the weapon in front of him before pulling it behind his back, and pointing his other arm forward with two fingers outstretched. "It always pays to carry a spare."

"Well no matter how many you have, those toys cannot stand up to _real_ power!" Iso had already abandoned his hesitation long ago, and in the blink of an eye crimson energy had traveled down his arm and formed a blade. Before he could even react Robin's weapon had been effectively cut in two—and the detective was left holding nothing but a hilt.

Now wearing the same overconfident grin Robin had sported only moments before, Iso thrusted his other arm as a similar blade tore into the Titan's shoulder. Robin didn't even have a chance to scream before Iso's signature weapon reverted to its energy form—still embedded in the boy's shoulder, it shot him out of sight faster than a bullet.

However, even as blood leaked from his wound and his body slammed into one of the walls that hadn't yet been blown into oblivion, he was still ready for action. A Redbird boomerang—his _last_ Redbird—fell from his belt into his hand and Robin wasted not a breath as he tossed the weapon with lethal accuracy.

Unfortunately, just one glance from Iso sent shards of the weapon flying in all directions, completely useless.

"I see you weren't kidding about not being afraid to put your life on the line," Iso grunted as he watched Robin's face drop in despair. A ball of compressed energy sparked to life in the older man's palm. "But let's see if you can keep that courage as your life leaves your body!"

Despite Iso's intentions, however, Robin's will was left untested as a sandal-clad foot tore into his face. "Rubber Stamp!" Stumbling backwards, the impressions from the shoes' tread on Iso's face were still fresh for all to see.

"Bastard," Luffy growled. "You can't treat my friend like that!" In a flash he was sprinting forward, both arms left stretching far behind him. "Rubber Ba—"

"I'm afraid I've gotten rather rusty on my physics," Iso sighed, paying no attention to the attack name he'd just interrupted. The air around his hands started to ripple. "So please, bear with me as I remind myself what temperature rubber melts at!"

A rippling blast soared past the rubberman, and instantly steam started pouring from both his body and the ground. His shirt started to grow crispy and brittle; Luffy groaned as he noticed his sandal starting to stick onto the stone floor.

Yet, the freak weather pattern only lasted a brief moment—the break in the heat wave was brought about by a small, metal semi-staff tearing into the side of Iso's head. Completely ignoring the pain of his gored shoulder, Robin now stood with one of those semi-staffs—known as Escrima Sticks—in each hand. Small specks of Iso's blood dotted one of the rods.

"Sticks now?" Iso asked, amused despite the hit he had just taken. "When _are_ you going to stop playing with toys?"

"Funny." Robin span forward, becoming a streak of red, green and silver as he lashed out savagely. Tapping his foot against the ground Iso swooped behind one swing—and with the snap of his wrist both Escrima Sticks suddenly became white-hot.

Robin felt like he was holding the Sun. As fast as he could he chucked one of the rods towards Iso's head—though he easily evaded it by moving his neck—but only managed to drop the other to the ground. The palms of the Titan's gloves had been burned straight off.

Iso laughed. "See? You should have listened to my lesson about toys earlier."

As the stick he had thrown bounced off the wall, Robin couldn't help but laugh as well. "But you haven't seen all my toy's special features yet!"

Suddenly the reflected Escrima Stick struck the back of Iso's head; not wasting a second, Robin hurled a powerful kick that would make Sanji proud into his mouth. "You see, it comes with special 'surprise attack' action!"

However, this seemed to do nothing but enrage even further the already unstable powerhouse. Lightning started to spark up and down Iso's body, a much more foreboding sight than any thunder storm. "You insignificant, pitiful, weak little _boy_!"

The booming roar of thunder echoed through the air as enough electricity to stir-fry a pack of elephants soared towards the Teen Titan. There was no escaping this one—Robin could only watch in horror as doom closed in on him.

Until, with a snap, a single figure propelled himself in the path of the deadly attack.

Both Iso and Robin watched in stunned silence as that figure landed and laughed. Throwing his arms to the side, Luffy completely dissipated the electricity. Besides the steam that flew from his body, he was absolutely unharmed.

"You're right red guy," Luffy laughed, "You have gotten rusty on your physics." He cracked his knuckles and put up his fists. "Even I know rubber doesn't conduct electricity!"

Toa and Slade both flew backwards, reeling from the power of their exchanged attacks but already prepared to strike yet again. Slade already had his hands in his belt as he landed on a rafter, but unfortunately for him, his opponent was faster to the draw—and held a much more powerful weapon.

Taking full advantage of his enhanced reflexes, the masked man soared far above the simmering stream of chi that incinerated the rafter he had been perched upon. He hurled several disks of explosives, but they were worthless against the wall of pure life-force that leapt to life around the beautiful woman.

"Die!" Toa commanded as she lashed out with another beam aimed for her mid-air opponent. With incredible acrobatic prowess Slade managed to grab an overhead rafter, flipping atop it and out of the line of danger. He sat squatted on the bar like a bird on a power line.

"What a bad attitude," Slade sighed. "Not to mention bad aim." Toa started to growl at him. "How strange you're so angry at me—I'm not the one that double crossed somebody, you know." Suddenly his voice dropped. "Not that I wasn't going to, but still…"

The oracle screamed as she unleashed another blazing stream of power. "But you _were_ the one who ruined everything!"

In a blaze of speed Slade leapt ahead of the blast, and in that same instant unfurled his extendable staff, which pushed him into the woman's personal space. He hadn't been before her for even a second when, influenced by her boiling rage, she blasted him.

Or at least, attempted to. Once again the terrorist had the ability to outmaneuver her chi, but Toa did manage to destroy the I-beam they had been standing on. As she fell she lashed her hand into the air, but before the energy could even leave her fingers it was intercepted by a sparking blast of red from her opponent's blaster.

She snapped back her injured hand in pain as she landed, and only moments later Slade's foot landed on her shoulder. Energy sparked around her even as she fell to her knees, but now the merciless villain had the advantage as he grabbed her face. She cursed him, but the profanity was muffled out by the gloved palm.

Slade thrusted his knee into her stomach and then, letting go of his hold, span a devastating left into her face. Blood and a tooth tumbled from her mouth as she soared backwards, her flight only stopped by a support beam.

"Not so hot on defense, are you?" Slade probed, walking closer. "Your chi is powerful, but if you can't tell what I'm going to do next you might as well just knock yourself out and save me the time."

Wiping tattered curls from her face, Toa hissed. She hated to admit that the bastard was right. She could feel her chi draining, plus she was taking damage! But perhaps things had changed, she told herself! Fate would never let her down!

"Yoken Yoken: Thirty Seconds Parallel Run!"

With a scream Slade charged—through one eye Toa could see the man coming, but in the other, in the eye that viewed the future, she could only see her and her love.

His fist lunged into her face, but she never saw it coming. Thirty seconds in the future, she could only see herself in the arms of Iso. They were celebrating the defeat of those children. It was the future she had been anticipating for decades. But it wasn't the future she was living!

Slade chuckled. "Not what you anticipated? Shame."

"Don't laugh!" Toa roared as chi exploded around her, sending the one-eyed man tumbling backwards. "Just tell me what you did!"

As Slade climbed to his feet he just sighed. "There you go again, blaming everybody else when the fault plainly lies with yourself."

"My fault!" the woman repeated, dumbfounded. "MY FAULT!" In a flash she unleashed a blast that tagged her aggravator's hand. With the injury, Slade could barely protect himself from a second attack. He only managed to turn just enough to prevent a lethal shot; blood exploded from his side as he fell to his knees.

Toa's remaining teeth clenched madly as chi built up around her like oncoming storm clouds. "I don't even care anymore how you tampered with my visions! I'll make you pay for it regardless!"

A massive, lumbering shot of pure hatred exploded from the Iso-jin, and it was just what Slade wanted. Thrusting one hand forward Slade screamed, and a small, pointed blast of chi shot out. It tore through the larger blast until it stabbed Toa in the stomach, treating her like a tourist in a dark alley.

Blood spurted from the wound and her throat as she fell backwards, her chi exhausted—her seemingly endless offense shattered by the damage she'd taken. Slade walked through the smoke of the attacks, steam flying from his hand.

Her face sagging, Toa could only manage to mutter a strained, "How?"

"All martial arts require an understanding of chi," Slade explained. "I don't have nearly the control you do—yet—but after seeing it done, it wasn't hard to learn the basics on my own."

She sighed, obviously struggling just to do _something_. Yet, she could no longer fight, no longer probe for answers, and no longer see the future. She cursed the hand fate had dealt her here.

Getting on one knee, Slade stared the woman straight in the eye. "Despite what you think, this _is_ your fault.

"The future is fluid, and every decision we make changes its flow—I've seen enough time travel to know this to be fact." Pausing, Slade frowned beneath his mask.

"Yet, you've clung to this concept of fate as a scapegoat! If fate is dictating everything you do, then you're never to blame! You've convinced yourself of this so thoroughly that—when the future deviated from what you'd seen—even your Devil's Fruit ability was unable to show you the new future!"

With a faint groan Toa tried to protest, but she simply didn't have the power. Rising, Slade grabbed her by her hair—once lovely, luscious curls that were now as ratty as her battered body—and dragged her towards the other fight.

"Fool," Slade growled. "Fate doesn't control our lives. I've gotten as far as I've gotten because of _my _efforts—nobody else's!"

Sparks of electricity still sizzled across the unaffected rubberman as an explosion of crimson sent him and his companion soaring backwards. Iso took to the sky, fuming over the two boys. Here they were—mere boys—surviving against the most powerful man alive!

However, they were smart, he'd give them that. They'd kept him on the defensive, and selflessly defended each other against attacks that'd otherwise meant sure death! Well then, he'd have to separate them—and not give them a chance to fight back!

Robin reached to his belt, but his face drooped as he found nothing but grappling hooks and explosive disks—nothing worthwhile! "I'm out of weapons," he sighed to his rubber teammate. "You got any ideas?"

A light bulb—or, in Luffy's case, perhaps a candle—flickered to life above his head as an idea sparked. "You bet! Just be ready to give me a hand!"

Leaping into the air, Monkey D. Luffy twisted his body as he span, until he had compressed and contorted into the shape of a small ball.

"Rubber…SUPER BOUNCY BALL!"

"_THAT'S _your master plan!" Robin exclaimed, his jaw flapping on the ground and steam flying from his ears.

From within the rubber ball came the question, "Got any better ones?"

Snickering, Robin couldn't respond with anything besides, "I guess not." One scream and one whirling kick later, Luffy the super bouncy ball was airborne—and the high speed attack was enough to interrupt the would-be conqueror's train of thought, allowing him a narrow escape.

"Some plan," Iso laughed, sharing a common sentiment—until the ball collided with a wall, bouncing back towards the powerhouse with twice the speed! Even with his full attention on Luffy he could barely dodge! With each bounce Luffy picked up speed until he was nothing but a blur of constant motion.

'_Damn!'_, cursed Iso in his head, _'So much for taking the offensive! There's no way out of this…'_ Suddenly, as the ball soared towards his face, inspiration struck. _'Unless…'_

With every ounce of effort the crimson-clad man span just before the attack hit, rotating behind the ball. Embers already burned on his fingertips.

Unfortunately for him, once again he'd been beaten to the draw. Luffy was only a few feet past him, but already he was being intercepted by Robin—who easily reversed the trajectory of the Rubber Super Bouncy Ball attack with another well-placed kick. There was nothing for Iso to do but be hit by the full force of a rubberman rolled into a little ball slamming into his stomach. The two flew across the cavern and into a wall.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "That actually worked better than I expected!" However, despite the success of the unconventional maneuver—as if all Luffy's ideas weren't unconventional—the next sight the Teen Titan was greeted with was a stream of several different energies blowing across the battlefield. Iso exploded into the sky, steam pouring from his hands.

Blood actually trickled from his mouth as he spoke. "Looks like I've finally got him detained—time to take care of the other!" Flames roared from his arms as lightning erupted across his body. "And with me in the air, there's no way for him to attack—and I'll make sure to leave him no chance of escape!"

The Boy Wonder's eyes bulged from his head as he leapt into the air, narrowly evading a cracking bolt of electricity. A constant assault of fire and lightning rained from the sky as Robin leapt across the battlefield, his evasions almost looking like a dance. Finally, as flames intercepted his only path, the hero hid beneath his cape.

Fire tore across Robin's cape, but it wasn't just a fashion accessory. The cape was made of a flame-retardant, flexible metal—it was as cool as a fall day beneath his cape's lining! Suddenly a grappling hook exploded from beneath the cape, and almost the instant it anchored itself in the ceiling it had pulled the Boy Wonder into the air—his feet colliding with Iso's face!

Iso stumbled backwards as Robin span in mid-air, rapidly pulling his grappling hooks from his belt and firing them in all directions. "I can't attack you in the air?" Robin smirked as he hung from one of the hooks. "Please. I was practically raised on the trapeze!"

Leaping from the wire, Robin became a streak of red and green as he dashed between his grappling lines, taking mid-air shots at Iso all the while.

Unleashing a primal growl, Iso span and landed a devastating blow to the Titan, interrupting his attack. He wasn't having any more of this!

"You think you're so smart!" Iso exclaimed as he grabbed his young opponent by the collar, holding him before his face. "But let's face it—you're not! I am Iso, the strongest man in all of existence, yet you're stupid enough to fight me!

"Just what are you! You may be smart, fast, even have a few fancy toys, but you're still just a boy! Nothing but a frail, human child!"

"Put that _child_ down," A voice demanded—however, it wasn't the expected voice of Robin's companion. Instead, it was the calm, cool voice of Robin's _worst enemy!_ "He has much more skill than you give him credit for, and I won't let him be defeated by anyone but me!"

Never losing his grip on the Titans' leader, Iso laughed. "You're giving me orders, Slade! What could possibly give you the right to do that?"

Slade sighed. "You're smarter than that, Iso. I'm standing here, holding in my hands the beaten body of your love. I didn't think I'd have to spell it out for you."

"No matter what you have in your hands," Iso informed him, "you have no power to threaten me!"

Suddenly Slade was in the air. Toa fell from his grip as he gasped, fear overtaking his body as a crimson aura built steadily around him. "How—"

"In the chaos you never removed the connector to my power." The red crystal emerged from within Slade's tunic, flittering in the air before him. "I wonder, Slade, how much of my power can your body safely hold?"

Energy surged into the villain's body, Slade screaming in pure pain as he was inundated with more power than any mere mortal could ever handle. The rafters of his own hideout shone a brilliant crimson as Slade exploded, the force so powerful that every molecule of the terrorist's body was completely vaporized.

This time, there was no doubt that Slade was dead.

Robin's eyes shot open wide. He couldn't tell _what_ he felt. His greatest enemy was gone—nobody had caused Robin more pain in his life than that man! Yet, more than anything the emotion flowing through his body was simply…_rage_.

"Y-you saved me," Toa smiled as she managed to stammer a sentence even in her state. "I kn-knew you would."

Raising an eyebrow, her love ignored the sigh of faith. "You've taken quite a beating," he said, stating the obvious. "Lose your perfect defense?"

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Toa admitted it—the best she could, at least. "Slade—he imp—stopped my visions…I—"

Iso's teeth clenched. "Blaming it on Slade?" His lover gasped. "What happened to the woman I loved, that sought me out with every intention of making me her own any way she could!

"All that remains of her is a brittle shell, sitting around waiting for things to happen!"

"But—" Toa stammered, tears streaming down her cheeks, "We—we're together…again…"

Suddenly, the connecter around the woman's neck lit up and dragged her into the air, surrounding the great power's love with the same crimson aura that had decimated Slade only moments before.

"So?" Iso asked coldly. "We could have been reunited years ago if you had taken action instead of waiting for everything to happen! How many years of my life has your inaction wasted!

"You are no longer the same woman I loved! All you are now is a broken Oracle—"

Toa's body was overtaken by overwhelming energy, completely drowning out her last cries of love.

"—and nobody needs one of those!"

With a second, deafening explosion Toa's life ended. All that survived the blast was a single tear, which sloshed to the ground unnoticed by the man that had caused it.

"You're a monster!" Robin cried as he struggled in the monster's grip. "How can you kill the woman you love!"

"Quiet!" Iso demanded as he soared to the ground, pointing Robin towards a dark alcove, one of the few places in the cavern not yet affected by the self-destruct command. "I have more power than anybody else, so they shall do as _I_ please!"

The corner of the Boy Wonder's mouth turned into a tiny grin. "So, finally the truth comes out. I knew I was right to fight you."

Not showing any sign of emotion, Iso placed his hand on Robin's stomach. "Nonsense. It was foolish of you to think that you, a mere _boy_ of flesh and blood, could do anything to the great power that can absorb nearly all the momentum behind your attacks!"

The color left Robin's face.

"For all your effort you've barely bruised me—but let's see if your body can handle the punishment you handed to me as well as mine has!"

Energy boomed from Iso's palm, sending Robin soaring far into the alcove as the combined power of every hit he had landed on the powerhouse was reversed upon the boy. Blood exploded from his mouth as if a water main had broken, and several bones shattered _before_ he hit the wall.

"I doubt it can," Iso continued as a ball of his signature energy appeared around his hand, "but I'm not about to take any chances of you surviving!"

"Rubber Gattling!"

A veritable maelstrom of elongated arms overtook the great power, perhaps saving the life of the rubberman's teammate—if he was fast enough, that is! Throwing his arms to the side Iso broke through the pirate's attack, but he paid it no mind as his arms snapped back into place.

Instead, Luffy clenched his teeth and exclaimed, "Nobody does that to my friends!"

Drops of blood spattered consistently on the floor as Robin, doubled over in pain, tried to crawl back to his feet. The effort was proving futile, though, as the Boy Wonder's injuries were more severe than anything he'd ever experienced before. Still, despite everything that had happened, he was determined to keep fighting!

Gritting his teeth, he finally gained the strength to stand up straight; however, Robin was only able to stagger a few paces before collapsing. Fortunately for him, his fall was broken by a large console.

_'Maybe he's right,'_ Robin admitted. _'What can I do? Against a guy like that all the skill and weapons in the world are worthless!'_

"Please enter password," a robotic voice instructed.

Robin's head snapped upright, and he found himself starting straight into an enormous computer monitor. The console he had happened upon seemed to be Slade's master computer, taking up the entire alcove!

He began typing eagerly, entering the word _apprentice_ into the box provided. _'If I can shut down the self-destruct sequence, the others can bring reinforcements! We still have a chance!'_

"Password denied," the computer droned.

Slamming his fists on the console in frustration, Robin cursed his predicament. Slade had caused him more trouble than any other opponent, yet in the end he knew nothing about the man's motives or past. He knew nothing beyond his cruelty, skill, and his search for a successor. How could he guess a password with that!

Suddenly, an idea sprang into his head, illuminating his mind like a sun rising.

_Then Nami turned to Robin, pulling something from her pocket. "And this is for you."_

_"What—"_

_"I have no clue what it is, actually," the navigator admitted. "When Slade captured me I managed to pick his pocket. I was hoping for a bomb or something, but that disk was all I could find." She sighed, her Straw Hat topped head drooping. "I kept telling myself I would help today, so I'm sorry that's all I could do."_

_Slipping the tiny computer chip into his utility belt, Robin didn't seem concerned. "Hey, picking Slade's pocket is impressive enough to me!"_

_"Now leave the rest to us!" Luffy declared._

As he reached to his belt for the disk Robin skimmed the console desperately looking for a slot just the right size—"Got it!" he exclaimed as he inserted the chip in one last-ditch move.

"Password accepted," the voice told him. "Welcome, Slade. You have no new mail."

There was no way for Robin to repress his laughter. _'Of course. Anybody can guess a password, but Slade was so conceited that—in his mind—the safest place to hide the 'key' to his computer system was on his person!'_

Even as the revelation passed through the Titan's mind, his nemesis's computer continued. "Accessing schematics of full-scale energy transfer system."

The sound of Robin's jaw hitting the floor echoed through the cavern as a scale diagram of Jump City leapt onto the screen—and through the city a path of Slade's devices leapt to life. The madman had created an energy absorption system through the entire city, even past Titans Tower and into the—

"Ocean!" Robin exclaimed. Another batch of explosives detonated somewhere in the compound, pounding the old cliché "time is of the essence" into the boy's head. Now that hope had presented itself, he had to act fast before the computer, the system or Robin himself was destroyed!

_'Amazing!'_ he thought as he started searching the pouches of his utility belt. _'I have to hand it to Slade—despite being psychotic, he had the best plans! To have a complete energy siphoning system through the city before even stealing the Stone of Iso Toa—if he had been able to use it, he'd quite possible have been invincible!_

_'Or what if _Iso _had found out about it!'_

Finally Robin found what he was looking for, and pulled one shining disk from his belt. "And Cyborg said bringing this was a waste of my time," the Titan snickered as he opened the bottom of the disk, pulling out a retractable wire. "I can't wait to rub _that_ in his face."

Robin found an USB port and plugged the wire in—an answer to his frantic prayer that Slade's advanced system would _have_ an USB port—and began furiously typing.

_'I hated to admit it, but when Slade said we were a lot alike he was always right. When presented with a fight we can't win physically, it doesn't mean we're defeated! Cunning is a power all its own, and it's one a power-obsessed freak like Iso could never appreciate!'_

"Rubber Hook!" In imitation of a boxer, the rubber arm of Monkey D. Luffy curved for a sideways punch. However, Iso was growing tired of the boy's futile punches. He gracefully turned aside of the strike—and the arm followed suit, snapping into a spin around the powerhouse until he was encased in a rubber cocoon!

Luffy grinned. "Rubber Ripcord!" In one lightning fast motion his arm snapped back, turning his opponent into a crimson top. As Iso span Luffy charged, winding his arm so fast it was a blur. "Rubber Bullet!"

However, the pirate's fist landed in Iso's palm as he instantly brought his dizzying trip to a stop—instead Luffy was sent flying by the power of his own punch and of the halted spin being channeled back into him.

Fortunately, his rubber body was just as immune to physical damage as Iso's. _Un_fortunately, blades were a different matter completely, and an expanding stone blade was already barreling toward Luffy's midsection. Dirt flew through the air as he dashed atop it, and then somersaulted to its side, his right arm already stretching behind him.

"Rubber Pistol—" Luffy's favorite—but most predictable—attack careened for Iso, who was more than prepared to handle it.

"—SHOT!" he finished as, with his left arm, he strummed his elongated arm like a guitar string. As it vibrated his right arm seemed to multiply, producing a smaller version of the Rubber Gattling technique that couldn't _possibly_ fail to take its target by surprise.

Certainly enough Iso was pummeled by the attack, and as Luffy's momentum faded he grabbed the larger man's throat in a choke hold. "Rubber—" His arm snapped as the boy's body flew forward to meet it, bringing his fist dangerously close to his opponent's face.

Screaming in rage Iso blew himself out of the rubberman's hold, soaring into the air as a crimson blur. Despite now skidding across the floor on his hands, Luffy wasn't one to waste an opportunity—or a started attack name. "—SPEAR!"

Iso's stomach became home to Luffy's pointed feet, but despite the blood spraying out of the man's throat he still had to make a move! His signature energy surrounded the boy's feet as his legs retracted, and by the time they snapped into place the energy had condensed into a constrictive ball of crimson stone. Luffy screamed as it barreled into his own face, sending him tumbling backwards.

Of course, the ball didn't stay there long. An Earth-shaking explosion destroyed the restraint and further battered the pirate; in the air, an enraged Iso was alternating between triggering explosions and unleashing careening blasts of his own.

On the ground Luffy was being battered so relentlessly he couldn't regain his bearing—nothing more than rubber debris. Finally he caught wind on an explosion, flipping himself upright. However, by this time he was already cornered, his back to a wall.

With nothing but a sneer as a warning Iso unleashed his finishing beam; while Luffy moved to counter it, however, the ground beneath him exploded and sent the beat-up up pirate soaring towards the ceiling—which, just as Luffy's current luck would have it, shattered from the self-destruct as he sailed towards it.

As debris pounded him Luffy noticed two large boulders falling his way—and a grin leapt back to life. "Rubber…" He sent both his arms flying backwards, each snagging one of the giant rocks.

"…CATAPULT!"

Suddenly Iso was faced with two gargantuan boulders soaring towards his face like bullet trains—however, a frustrated scream and two outstretched hands simmering with power were all it took to derail them. An explosion containing the rest of Terra's hijacked energy sent pebbles flying in every direction, but the destruction of the boulders also revealed Luffy—his hand still gripping a remnant of the rock—snapping forward towards the tyrant at almost light-speed!

Iso certainly didn't appreciated his distraction tactic from earlier being reciprocated, but there was no time to voice his objections as Luffy's fist slammed into his jaw, creating a shockwave that shattered stone. The pirate captain screamed as his legs ensnared his opponent's torso, raising his other fist before the first had even returned to him.

"Again!" he cried.

"I think not!" Iso countered as crimson energy leapt to life and channeled around the boy, some of it hardening into the beginnings of a stone cocoon!

Grinning diabolically, Iso couldn't hide his pleasure in this situation as the energy sparked out of him. "Death might just be too good for you! Let's see how you like being trapped inside of a stone instead! Decades spent with nobody but yourself, countless years spent lamenting the loss of your dreams, your freedom, and your _life_!" His grin had dropped into a sneer of pure, unadulterated hatred.

"Let's see if you can stand knowing how your power to change the world is being wasted! Let's see—"

"Let's not," Luffy smiled. "It doesn't sound like my kind of thing!" The rubberman inhaled a giant breath of air. "Rubber…BALLOON!"

The boy's body inflated like a balloon, but all seemed lost as the force wasn't strong enough to shatter the growing cocoon. However, the grin on Luffy's face indicated that perhaps there _was_ still hope. Indeed there was, and a second later the air escaped from the boy's lips, sending him flying through the air uncontrollably like a popped balloon!

The half-formed cocoon fell to the ground as Iso swiped for Luffy, but his unpredictable path proved too much for even the crimson-clad powerhouse.

"RUBBER—"

As Luffy soared towards his opponent he opened his mouth, his face stretching wide until his mouth could swallow a human whole!

"—CHOMP!"

Luffy's jaw snapped shut, and Iso had the unfortunate 'pleasure' of being sealed within the rubberman's mouth. Now carrying a huge weight, the top-heavy Luffy barreled into the ground, landing with a boom and a cloud of dirt.

It looked as if Luffy had eaten several rabid squirrels as Iso tried to free himself—meanwhile, fire burned in the boy's eyes and steam flew from his ears.

Wailing, the pirate finally spit Iso out. He rolled across the floor, covered head-to-toe with saliva.

"GAAH!" Luffy cried, wiping his tongue as if he was scrubbing dirty dishes. "TOO SPICY!"

A vicious wind spiraled from Iso's body like a tornado, blowing away the saliva and the rubberman. The man's face was contorted into a caricature of anger and hatred, and balls of sparking energy so powerful that they made the cavern rumble were born in his palms.

"I've…never been…treated…that way!" Iso growled savagely. "Entrapment may be a crueler punishment for you, but I believe _I'll_ get more pleasure from killing you right now!"

In that moment, as death lay only seconds away for Monkey D. Luffy, several explosive disks battered Iso—of course doing no damage as the explosions were absorbed into his body, but still drawing his attention.

Robin stood—though barely, with his battered body—three disks held between his fingers. The middle disk shone far brighter than the rest. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size!"

Using the rest of his strength the Boy Wonder unfurled the disks, and Iso wasted no effort in dodging them—they were no threat to him!

"Useless!" he cried. "I hope you realize you're only making me stronger!"

Two explosions were absorbed into Iso's body, but as the third disk detonated Iso was instead hit with a powerful blue wave of energy; however, whatever its intentions, it too was assimilated.

Then, Iso fell to the ground with the finesse of a nerd's basketball shot.

Iso climbed from the hole his fall had created in the ground, completely stunned. He tried to fly, but couldn't. He felt completely, utterly, _weak._

"How!"

Grinning, Robin explained. "Thanks to Slade's plans for you, that was no normal explosion you absorbed!

"Devil's Fruit powers stop working when their user is submerged in the ocean—I figure it must be the same when they absorb the power of the ocean into their very body!"

Luffy popped his head up. "Ah, cool!" Iso, meanwhile, just stared dumbfoundidly at his hands as he strained futilely to use his abilities.

"Tell me Iso," Robin asked with a thousand-dollar smile, "What do you think of this mere boy now?"

Next Time: Clash!—It All Comes Tumbling Down


	28. Chapter 28

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 28: Clash!—It All Comes Tumbling Down**

Power was everything to the man named Iso.

It was the only thing in his life he'd ever had to be proud of. His abilities of Konki Konki were where he rested his faith, as they'd never let him down. People, even the most faithful, could disappoint—but his power was absolute.

Or so he thought.

Now Iso was on the ground, trembling as he attempted vainly to activate his abilities. Unfortunately for him, they had been completely nullified when he absorbed power from the ocean straight into his body. Even his supposedly 'absolute' abilities shared a weakness to water with all Devil's Fruits.

So, he had been crippled by two teenagers.

"Slade never goes into a plan without considering every possibility," Robin explained from his vantage overlooking Iso. "Before he had even stolen the Stone of Iso Toa he had created an energy siphoning system through the entire city and into the ocean, all to supercharge the stone to invincible levels!

"After managing to access Slade's computer system I used the siphoning machine to absorb power from the ocean and download it into a special disk I had created—instead of exploding or freezing, I could download different uses to it on the go!" The Titan snickered. "Hadn't created the device to connect it to yet, but Slade took care of that for me!"

Iso was trembling, so frantic that he barely heard the explanation. He moved his hands trying to use some tiny speck of his power, but nothing happened. Losing hope, his hand dropped—and landed on a shiny metallic object resting on his waist.

Monkey D. Luffy was still laughing as he got to his feet. "Too bad red guy," he smiled. "Looks like it's finally time for me to kick your ass for good!"

"Not just yet!" Iso screamed, his voice still wavering but his resolve becoming solid as he drew the Eehuah sword from his side in a lighting fast motion that sent rippling waves of crimson soaring for the rubberman. Blood flew from Luffy's chest as he fell backwards, just narrowly avoiding being cut in two.

"No!" Robin exclaimed as he pulled explosive disks from his belt. "I forgot he took Eehuah back from Ian!"

The crippled man pressed on, constant streams of energy soaring from his weapon. "See! I knew my power would never let me down! I created this sword to cover for my weakness to the sea—I'll finish you with my Eehuah and regain my abilities! You've done nothing—there's no way you_ could_ against my power!"

Luffy somersaulted between two blades but before he could even land a whip of crimson energy ensnared his leg, and Iso slammed him against a rock. From atop the alcove a staggering Robin, still half-dead from the attacks his opponent had landed, managed to launch the last of his explosives, now actually effective against the de-powered powerhouse!

The snare around the rubberman disappeared as he went tumbling across the cavern floor, and with one sideswipe of the ancient relic Iso had created a crimson wall between himself and the disks. As its owner smirked the wall exploded from the tip of the Eehuah, barreling into the cliff and sending the Boy Wonder reeling.

"One down," Iso gloated, "and one to—"

"Rubber Stamp!"

Bones in Iso's shoulder snapped as his opponent's foot tore into it, sending him spinning backwards. Luffy charged, winding his arm as he grew closer. They locked eyes, each exchanging glares full of rage.

And, in an instant, Luffy had run into a pillar of crimson. As he fell backwards the pillar retracted, and Iso—standing atop it—converted it into a slide as he soared towards his opponent.

Iso's slide hit the ground, the flaring energy wrapping around him until just a constant stream of red barreled for Luffy. As the pirate regained his footing his eyes bulged out of his head, and in a second both arms had stretched far behind him. "Rubber…"

"…BAZOOKA!"

With a snap both his palms hit the ground, and Luffy was sent soaring far above the comet of crimson. Of course, at this point nothing could deter the bloodthirsty Iso, and as he dug his heels into the floor his attack kept going, following the direction of the Eehuah as it again aimed for the mid-air rubberman.

Gritting his teeth Luffy flipped, sending another bazooka blast into the ceiling; as Iso's attack obliterated much of the already battered roof Luffy soared like a rocket to the floor, mere feet in front of his opponent.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed. "Rubber Gattling!"

As the storm of punches drew close Iso's eyes grew wide, but in his hands already rested all the defense he needed. One swipe of the Eehuah surrounded him with a crimson bubble, and as Luffy's raging fists pounded into it the ball countered by pumping his rubber body full of sparking energy.

Energy still sizzled down the boy as the bubble retracted, revealing Iso sending more crimson blades his way. As Luffy finally regained his bearings he instantly lost them again as he fell beneath the oncoming attacks; however, in the process he managed to launch his arm, which ensnared the leg of the white-haired man.

"Rubber…"

His arm snapped as Luffy retracted towards Iso. Sending his body into a spin the boy's legs flew to the side, becoming nothing but a blur.

"…PROPELLER!"

All energy surrounding Eehuah's ancient blade instantly dissipated as Iso raised it above his head, aiming to sever his opponent's arm in one swift instant. Even Luffy wasn't dense enough to miss those intentions and instantly let his arm retract; this sent the rubberman spinning across the floor, standing on his hands as if he was about to perform Sanji's helicopter kicks.

A grin leapt to life as the pirate captain remembered his cook's techniques. "Rubber Whip!" Spinning on his hands, Luffy's elongated legs whirled forward into vicious kicks, and Iso's sword became a rapid blur as he deflected them with every bit of his energy.

As the Eehuah attempted to swipe aside a kick the rubberman's sandal latched to the edge; just moments later it slipped off, but the attachment was just long enough for Luffy's leg to retract, sending the boy soaring towards his opponent with enough momentum to stop a rampaging rhino in its tracks.

With one panicked motion Iso erected a crimson wall between the two, and as Luffy's fist tore into the defense it shattered, the recoil sending both warriors reeling backwards. Iso gritted his teeth as his now-feeble body was blown across the floor, but his rubber opponent had landed without giving it a second thought and was already charging forward for more.

However, Iso wasn't going to have any of it! "No you don't!" he cried as he swung Eehuah furiously, at this point desperate to keep himself out of the range of Luffy's immense power. A blade of crimson energy soared for the boy's head, but Luffy slapped it aside with barely any thought.

Sheathing the ancient weapon, Iso growled. Energy from the sword radiated through the sheath, turning the man into a beacon of light in the dark cave. "I said…"

Iso drew the Eehuah in an amazingly fast swipe, and though Luffy was far out of range of the actual blade there was no escaping the concentrated beam of crimson that exploded from the sheath and plowed into his gut like a battering ram.

Digging his feet into the dirt and responding with a primal growl of his own, Monkey D. Luffy swung both arms across his chest, completely annihilating the attack. It had barely even slowed his charge.

Still, the crimson energy exploding from the Eehuah proved that the last several attempts had merely been distractions.

"…I said no you don't!" Iso screamed as nine separate blasts tore into the Straw Hat Pirate, sending him rolling backwards. Blood leaked from numerous wounds across his body, but he rose with dogged perseverance, his teeth clenched so hard his entire body was shaking.

Laughing to himself, Iso drew a circle around himself in the rock with the tip of his weapon. Energy soared from the outline, surrounding him like a ring of fire.

"Even against a man reduced to the strength of a typical human you fare so badly?" Iso taunted as the power blazing around him grew. "Though I guess it's no surprise—even such a small fraction of my power would decimate men far stronger than you!"

Then the energy surrounding the man exploded, the cavern nearly filling with crimson until the power shrank and transformed. Floating around him Luffy was faced with the sight of half a dozen replications of Iso, forged from pure energy. The rubberman seemed neither impressed nor scared. He simply frowned.

"You should give up now!" Iso's voice boomed from each of the giant crimson constructs—hiding which one he was truly hiding within. "It won't save your life, but it will sure give _me_ pleasure!"

Luffy frowned. "Like Hell!"

This was met by hysterical laughter from the Iso imitations. "Please! You stand no chance! Why would you possibly keep fighting me!"

"Cause," Luffy growled, "I'M GONNA BE KING OF THE PIRATES!"

The boy was met with incredulous stares. "To do that, I can't let you disgrace the name of Gold Roger!" he continued. "And I can't let you rule these worlds either! There's no way I'm gonna do anything but kick your ass!"

Suddenly all the Iso-shaped clones lunged forward for an attack. "Nonsense!" they cried. "Even in my weakened state you're no match for me—certainly not king material! There's no way to tell which one of me is the real one in time—you'll be skewered!"

Six giant beings made of crimson energy swiped for Luffy, but he just stood there—almost as if he was frozen. However, in the space of a second he lashed forward, his arm soaring straight through one of the clones.

And a second later all of them vanished as the Eehuah sword spiraled to the ground, embedding itself in stone. Iso, meanwhile, was held in Luffy's grip, and with the snap of his rubber limb pulled to the boy's face.

The former-powerhouse—now officially helpless—trembled. "H-how! Those clones were all identical!"

"Nuh-uh." A grin spread from one side of Luffy's face to the other. "Only one of 'em smelled like hot sauce!"

As quickly as he'd been grabbed the despairing Iso was let loose from Luffy's grip as he span.

"Rubber BULLET!"

Blood exploded from Iso's mouth like a geyser as the boy's right fist tore into his stomach, and he was hurled across the room. Still, he was alive—conscious. Iso kept his senses steady—he could still win!

_'My powers will be back any second!'_

"PISTOL!"

Now teeth clattered across the floor as a left hook was added to the damage Iso had taken. However, despite his loss of power, he hadn't been defeated yet.

_'It's only a matter of moments!'_

Snapping back, Luffy's arm wrapped around the man's neck and pulled him forward. Laughing, the rubberman launched his other arm to the side.

"SICKLE!"

The outstretched limb clotheslined Iso in the chest, shattering each and every one of his ribs.

_'No! Can't die yet!'_

Iso became ensnared in a whirl of rubber appendages as Luffy threw his head backwards, his neck stretching across the cavern.

"BELL!"

The sound of a bell being struck echoed across the battlefield, shattering both rock and the target's very skull. Yet, his brain was untouched.

_'Any second now!'_

Luffy's arms retracted as the boy started to spin backwards, winding himself up.

"BOW GUN!"

With a snap he unwound, his head again banging into Iso and sending him soaring into the ceiling with a crunch. He was stuck in his own caricature for a few seconds, before he started to fall to the ground.

_'Any second and it'll save me!'_

As Luffy finally uncurled into a normal stance he threw his leg into the air, and as it neared its limit his foot hovered just over Iso's chest.

"AXE!"

Another resounding snap sent Luffy's foot plowing into the ground with enough force to demolish a building—or in this case, a man. Iso's body was useless as he lay pulverized in a small hole on the ground. Still he held on valiantly, but for the first time, doubt crossed his mind.

_'Won't it?'_

Meanwhile the force of his attack hurled Luffy to the ceiling, and somersaulting through the air he rested his feet against the roof. With a scream he pushed off, spiraling like a football as his limbs span behind him, giving the impression of a shooting star and its tail.

"RUBBER COMET!"

The comet hit the ground, the very force creating a crater that encompassed the entire floor of the cavern—all centered around the point of impact, Iso's body.

As the smoke cleared Luffy pulled himself to his feet, brushing dirt from his shoulder. With a growl he looked to the figure at his feet—Iso was finally defeated, having been beaten utterly beyond recognition.

"See?" Luffy growled with disdain. "I _am_ king material!"

Coughing, Robin finally mustered enough strength to pull himself to his feet. All the lost blood and strength had made it difficult to begin with, and the fight between Luffy and Iso _and_ the self-destructing battlefield hadn't made it any easier.

Again the ground beneath him trembled, and the Titan stumbled a bit in his step. _'No! I can't stop! I gotta help Luffy!'_

However, only a second later Robin witnessed his friend soaring towards the ceiling, in total control of his fight. With a cry Luffy spiraled to the ground, and the cavern rocked as the floor exploded into a deep crater.

_'Luffy!'_ Robin scrambled to the edge of the cliff, unsure of what to expect. He was greeted by the sight of Luffy standing next to Iso's body. He was beaten beyond recognition, while the rubberman—though rather bloody himself—stood victorious.

"Hey Luffy!" he cried. "You okay down there!"

"Yeah," Luffy mumbled as he pulled the crimson sheath from Iso's waist. "I'm fine." The pirate walked a few feet and retrieved the Eehuah before jumping up to join his friend.

Robin raised an eyebrow, perplexed by his friend's unusual sullen attitude. "You sure?" he probed. "Y'know, we don't know what happened between him and Gold Roger. Cheating? That can't happen in battle. There are a million different explanations for how he might have won or why he did what he did, but regardless he won, and that's all that matters right?

"It's the same here. It doesn't matter that we weren't stronger than Iso—we still won." Robin smiled. "I know you'll become King of the Pirates some day."

Luffy waved his hand. "I _know _all_ that_," he said quickly. "I'm just upset that I didn't get to fight that mask guy again!"

As Robin's jaw dropped in sheer disbelief the pirate sheathed the mystical sword he held in his hand. "I figured that guy Zoro doesn't like would want this back, right?"

"Yeah," the Boy Wonder replied without giving it much thought. He knew all the insecurities that would be running through his mind if he was Luffy, yet Luffy didn't care about any of them—he just wanted to fight more!

The detective looked over his shoulder at the main console. _'Yet, he reminded me of what's still bothering _me_. Slade…can't be dead! We haven't settled things yet!'_

Suddenly the console was shattered as the alcove it resided in tumbled down atop itself. More explosions dotted the room, and the very cliff that the two heroes stood upon crumbled from beneath them.

In an impressive dash Luffy caught his friend and leaped to safe ground.

"No!" Robin exclaimed as he glanced around the almost completely destroyed hideout. "I forgot about the self-destruct mechanism! And it looks like it's almost over—I mean, there's nothing left but for the roof just to collapse!"

The eyes of the rubberman bulged from his head. "How do we get out of here!"

"I don't know!" Robin cried. "I never got time to plan that far ahead!"

"What do you mean you never planned for it! Don't you plan for everything!"

"I'm sorry! Maybe I was too busy figuring out how to disable our massively powerful enemy!"

"Hey! You only got the time for that cause I was the one actually fighting him!"

Again an explosion caught their attention, and rocks started to tumble into the room.

"Forget that!" The Titan exclaimed. "There's no time!"

"Yeah! Let's get the hell outta here!"

"Ooooooh, why are they taking so long!" Starfire asked as she floated in mid-air, anxiously circling the group of heroes as she scanned the ground for signs of her love.

"Relax," Zoro grunted—in opposition to the alien's worry, he was sprawled on the ground half asleep. "Those two can take care of themselves. Luffy's too dumb to die anyway."

With a gasp Starfire opened her mouth to chastise the swordsman, but she was interrupted by a figure latching himself to her back. Smoke wafted past her nostrils.

"Don't worry Star-kun!" Sanji commanded as a heart pumped in place of his eye. "I'll find them for you! If I have to I'll dig straight back down into that cave with my bare hands!"

Beside them Cyborg chuckled. "Funny, I figured Usopp would be the one to say something completely impossible like that."

As her friends fretted over the fate of their leaders, Raven attempted to discover the answers for herself. Using every inch of her abilities she outstretched her mind to the cave beneath her—and found only chaos.

Iso's power was spread all throughout the cavern from the fighting, interfering with her empathic perceptions—and the explosions and debris didn't help much either. So much chaos ran through Raven's brain that she couldn't tell who was who anymore. However, what she_ could_ tell chilled her to the bone—where there had once been five, there were now only two living beings in that room.

"It's been too long," Raven said, trying not to sound too urgent—no need to frighten the others if she wasn't _sure._ "Cyborg, contact the honorary Titans. The rest of you need to start moving the citizens—"

As black leaked from beneath the Titan's cloak she put her hand on Starfire's shoulder. "—and Starfire, I'm going to need you to call the Ba—"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

In the sky, far above the ten friends, soared two heroic silhouettes—screaming for their lives.

"ROBIN!" Starfire exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

Nami tried to shield her eyes from the sun and get a better look. "And is that…"

"Of course it's Luffy," Zoro interjected lazily. "Can't you recognize that scream by now?"

With a horrendous crash the two heroes landed, crumpled over each other. In the background Beast Boy, Usopp and Chopper held up signs reading 9, 9.6 and 8.75 respectively.

The girls rushed to aid their leaders as they rolled off each other. "Glorious!" the Tamaranian proclaimed. "You are alive!"

"Don't ever worry us like that again!" Nami screamed as she held her captain by his collar, slapping him vigorously.

In a black blur followed by a trail of hearts Sanji moved to the side of his other love. "You show him, Nami-san!"

Smiling, Zoro finally pulled himself to his feet. "Please. If you don't want to worry find another captain to follow."

Whirlpools spiraled in the rubberman's eyes as Luffy collapsed, falling from the smiling navigator's grip. "I know," Nami laughed. "I'd miss the adventure too much anyway!"

"I could sense two figures alive down there still," Raven explained to her patient—her palms rested against Robin's chest as incandescent blue energy shone beneath the two, restoring some of the boy's energy. "What's going on down there? How did you get out?"

"Those two," Robin coughed, "were us. And as for how we got out…it's a funny story…"

_"Come on!" Luffy yelled behind him. "Why are you just standing there!"_

_As the rubberman said, Robin stood still, turning around in circles—obviously deep in thought._

_"Come on now," the Boy Wonder whispered to himself. "If I were Slade, where would I put it!"_

_Suddenly he was smacked across the head by a rubber fist. "What're you doing!"_

_Even as he saw stars Robin managed to spit out an explanation. "I know how Slade thinks—there has to be an emergency exit around here somewhere! I just have to find out where—it's our only chance of escape!"_

_Luffy scratched his head. "Emergency exit? You mean like that tube thing I saw in the place Nami was tied up at?"_

_Robin's jaw fell to the ground._

_"You know where the exit is!"_

_Shrugging, the pirate simply said, "Yeah."_

_"Then why didn't you say anything!"_

_Again he shrugged nonchalantly. "You didn't ask."_

_The Teen Titan picked himself off the floor—having completely collapsed as those words left his friend's mouth. "Well," he said before leaping onto Luffy's back. "I'm telling you now: get us there!" _

_"Got it!" Luffy smiled as he span towards the cliff, slinging both stretchable arms in the process. "Rubber…ROCKET!"_

_Almost instantly they were propelled into the tiny alcove; Robin leapt from the rubberman's back as he kept flying, soaring into the wall. Pebbles crumbled atop Luffy as he fell face first to the ground—meanwhile his partner had found a silver tube in the wall._

_"This must be it!" Robin explained hopefully—but in only seconds his hope was shattered as another explosion caused rocks to completely crush the escape tunnel. The boy's jaw hit the ground. "No," he gasped._

_"RAAH!" With a scream Luffy charged forward, spinning into a punch that pulverized the fallen rocks and the door caught beneath. "I'm not going to be crushed!"_

_Following his rubber companion into the doorway that had once housed the escape chute, Robin stared up into a seemingly endless tunnel to the surface. "Oh great, what are we gonna do n—"_

_Suddenly a hand clenched onto the Boy Wonder's arm._

_"I've got it under control!" Luffy exclaimed, causing Robin's heart to sink—that usually meant that things were going _out_ of control!_

"_Rubber…"_

_The boy sucked in a deep breath as his body inflated—he looked like a giant grape. Next he started spinning, winding himself up like a tremendous, bloated spring. His unwilling passenger swallowed uneasily._

"…_SPRING!"_

_Air exploded from Luffy's mouth as he sprung into the air, both him and Robin spinning at insane speeds as his breath escaped from the coiled and inflated body. _

_Walls of endless gray plating zoomed past as they rocketed the length of the escape chute, drawing close to the top—where the roof of the tunnel loomed ominously in opposition to them! _

_"It's not gonna open!" Robin realized as the hatch didn't move an inch. "It must only open for the escape chute!"_

_"Don't worry!" Luffy exclaimed. "It's no match for us!"_

_A stupendous noise echoed through the tunnel as Luffy's head collided with the roof, and it was no surprise when it gave way and the two heroes went flying past the debris and far into the air, where the rubberman's momentum finally ran out._

_They floated in mid-air for a few seconds, finally free from the underground prison they had fought so valiantly for their lives, dreams and friends in. Despite the ordeal of being dragged through a Rubber Spring, Robin smiled._

_"Nope, nothing is a match for your hard head."_

As the pirate recovered from his navigator's assault Robin approached him. "That's one powerful move, by the way. Y'know, if you combined the momentum with one of your attacks it'd be nearly unstoppable!"

Luffy's eyes lit up. "Yeah! If I use Gattling…I'll call it the Rubber Storm!"

"So," Terra asked, "we've won?"

The Titan's leader grin filled most of his face. "Yeah. This fight is over!"

Cheers filled the field they had found themselves in. However, only one statement later they found themselves in awkward silence.

"So, what now?" Starfire asked. "Do we return our pirate companions to their world?"

And thus the idea the twelve had pushed from their heads this entire time again showed its ugly face.

"Do we even know how to get us back home?" Chopper asked.

Zoro fell to the ground. "Well, you guys take all the time you need to figure that out." In a second he was out.

"Actually," Beast Boy said as his legs started to wobble, "I could use a rest myself."

A smile crept across Usopp's face as he cheered in his head that an excuse to rest finally popped up! "Yeah, single-handidly defeating all those commando soldiers sure makes me tired…"

Light started to fade in Cyborg's luminescent shoulders. "And I drained almost all of my battery power in those fights."

"Yes," Star agreed, "the fight against the old woman has left me more tired than a lakor who has spent all day vezoring!"

A small stub of a cigarette fell from between the cook's fingers. "Well, if everybody else is gonna rest too…"

Even Luffy started to wobble woozily, but not before declaring "Hey, we need to have a victory party!"

One by one the heroes collapsed from sheer exhaustion until only Raven and Nami were left standing.

"Well," Nami sighed, "I guess we have a while yet before we figure out how we're going to resolve this, don't we?"

"Yeah," the Titan smiled, raising her arms as black flames leapt from the ground. "Meanwhile, I'd better get us back to the tower to heal up—and to set up that party."

Nami stared at the empath incredulously.

"What?" Raven asked. "Can't a girl celebrate?"

Next time: Celebration!—Soothing the Scars of Battle


	29. Chapter 29

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 29: Celebration!—Soothing the Scars of Battle**

Cots were scattered throughout the overcrowded sick-bay of Titans Tower; however, in the days since the battle with the Iso-jin they had—one-by-one—become empty. Now only two unconscious figures remained, and two more figures loomed over them

"Are you sure she's okay?" Zoro asked as he stared down at Tashigi, who laid peacefully despite her wounds having been healed. "Shouldn't she be awake by now?"

Raven sighed. "I've been keeping up with the sedatives the Iso-jin were giving her." Zoro's eyes started to bulge from his head, but the Titan continued before he could voice his objection. "What do you think would happen if she woke up in a tower full of pirates?"

"Oh yeah…hadn't thought about that," Zoro smirked. "I guess she doesn't like me much, does she?" He craned his head towards the only other person in the sick-bay who was actually still _sick_. "What about Ian?"

Pulling back the sheets over the boy, Raven revealed a relatively healed body. "He's getting well physically, but it'll still be a while until he's back on his feet. The fights put a lot of strain on his mind, perhaps even more than his body."

"Plus you went inside his head," Zoro interjected.

Barely noticing at first, Raven continued, "Plus, I went ins—" An anxious look crossed the Titan's face; she frowned and raised her hood as she realized what he was saying. "I better go make sure that celebration hasn't gotten out of hand." The witch disappeared through the floor in a puddle of black.

Raising an eyebrow, Zoro was genuinely confused. "Touchy."

The tower's living room—in stark contrast to the sick-bay—was full of movement and life, and had been for days as the heroes progressively recovered and joined in the festivities.

"Gah! Noooooo!" Beast Boy threw his Gamestation controller to the floor in frustration as he simultaneously curled into fetal position. "How can I be beaten at Super Ninja Fury III!"

"Yeah, by a _girl_ nonetheless," Cyborg smiled as he elbowed his friend in the ribs. Nami sat beside the changeling, controller held expertly and a grin covering her face.

She promptly started counting on her fingers. "Let's see…you lost, so, that's ten dollars you owe me!"

Sweat drops rolled down Beast Boy's face as he pulled himself up, shaking. "Um, Cyborg, ol' buddy ol' pal—"

"You're not getting any money from me, BB—go break open your piggy bank." The green boy voiced his objections of animal cruelty, but the half-robot paid it little attention as usual as he pushed his friend aside. "Let _me_ show'er how it's done."

Nami's eyes lit up. "_You're_ challenging me? Maybe we should up the ante here!"

"You're on!" Cyborg exclaimed as he grabbed the discarded controller. "Don't think that just cause you played our games the whole time we were recovering means you're better'n us now!"

"Well, I beat Beast Boy!" the navigator rebutted, sticking out her tongue playfully.

A smile crossed the Titan's face. "Yeah, well, I'm a whole different story!"

"Hey," Beast Boy objected with a growl, still laying sprawled on the floor from where Cyborg had pushed him. However, the two were already deep into the trance of video-game world.

Meanwhile, the electronic doors to the room slid open as Zoro walked through—and was promptly struck in the face with a flying pie. The swordsman reeled backwards into a wall, and as he wiped icing from his face he was greeted with the sight of Luffy, Usopp and Chopper all collapsed over each other, laughing so hard they had gone into convulsions.

"What the hell do you guys think you're doing!" Zoro exclaimed, the room shaking as he stomped his foot. Each of his three pirate companions moved to answer him, but only fractured syllables could escape their lips between the convulsions—certainly nothing coherent.

"Oh, I see you too have participated in the fun!" Starfire exclaimed, rounding the corner with a pie in each hand. "On the television we all saw how the throwing of pies leads to much joy and fun at any party! Do you care to join us in the merriment?"

"Actually," Zoro raised an eyebrow as one corner of his mouth curled into a smile, "I think I will."

Instantly the fits of laughter ended and the three leapt to their feet—and pies suddenly flew through the room like hail, or missiles from opposing sides. In all truthfulness, it was _war_.

And then—unusually for a war—a cry of love pierced the battle. "Staaaaaar-kun!" Sanji exclaimed, his voice sounding from the kitchen. "Come heeere!"

Floating into the room, the Tamaranian answered with a "Yes, Sanji-kun?"—and was answered with several more piles of pies. "Glorious! These will be quite useful in our war of pies!"

The troop of pirates rushed by, and in an instant most of the new pie 'ammunition' was gone—however, with Sanji's chef skills they were quickly being replaced. Hearts floated from his head as he pulled even more food, not pies this time, from the oven as well—quickly crowding the kitchen.

"Try these Star-kun!" Sanji insisted as he shoved several culinary masterpieces towards his love. "This food conveys my love for you!"

Now hearts likewise flew from Starfire as she inhaled the new dishes. "These are fantastic! I did not even need my favorite tangy yellow beverage mustard to find enjoyment in them!"

Sanji's heart nearly exploded from his chest.

"Tell me Sanji-kun," Star continued, "Why are you doing all these wonderful things for me?"

"Oh," the chef exclaimed in a sing-song voice, his entire body wiggling as hearts leaked from him, "Just because I love you!" The object of his affection blushed, but then gasped as Sanji's body suddenly froze, his face going serious.

"But there is one catch," the chef added. "Have you told him yet?"

A giant question mark grew from the alien girl's head. "Told who what?"

"Have you told _Robin_ how you _feel_?" Sanji sighed. "Remember, we talked about it at the cave back in my world before we fought Tank and Swifty?"

Starfire's mood seemed to drop. "Oh, yes, I remember. No, I have not, but—"

"Then do it." Sanji insisted. "When I leave here…I can't take you with me. And if _I_ can't have you…then he's the next best guy." He lowered his head. "Though I hate to admit it."

"Oh Sanji-kun!" Suddenly Starfire was on the pirate, her arms latched around his back. "You are such a gentleman!"

And, like that, Sanji fainted.

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!"

Robin's jaw hit the floor and rolled through the room as the Titan entered the living area; he was in total shock at the sight before him. Pie covered the walls, tins rolling down and onto the floor, and Luffy, Zoro, Beast Boy, Usopp and Chopper were still throwing the mess everywhere. Starfire had Sanji leaned over the couch, trying to revive him, and Cyborg and Nami were still playing video games—oblivious to the chaos around them.

"Killer Move…PIE STAR!" A pie flew from Usopp's slingshot and straight towards Beast Boy, who quickly became a green frog and leapt above it. Luffy's rubber arm stretched as he span—and elastic snapped as the 'Rubber Pie' soared towards Zoro's face. It was instantly rendered in two and both halves soared past both the swordsman and Robin.

Steam flew from Robin's ears as his face turned red. "Everybody FREEZE!"

Everybody in the room stopped in their tracks, except for those playing video games who still pressed buttons eagerly.

"Robin!" Starfire exclaimed. "Now that you are done your rigorous exercises do you wish to join us in the throwing of the pies?

The red in the boy wonder's cheeks was still there, but its cause had changed from anger to embarrassment. He couldn't be this mad—this _was_ their last hurrah, after all. He sighed.

"No thanks," he said, "but mayb—"

"AH COME ON!"

The floor shook as Cyborg slammed his foot. "I demand a rematch!" he exclaimed as he grinded his teeth.

"Enough already Cyborg," Nami sighed, "It would be the tenth one—and you haven't even paid me for my first ten wins yet!"

Suddenly Robin's face was between the two. "Hey guys, I was about to suggest a game of volleyball up on the roof. Wanna play?"

"You bet!" Cyborg enthusiastically declared, the force throwing the Titan's leader across the room. "Nami, double or nothing!"

"Bring it on!" the navigator taunted. "You better have your wallet handy!"

The two scrambled upstairs, their friends on their tail. As they reached the door, however, Usopp froze in his tracks. "Hey, where's Terra at?"

"She's been in her room all day," Robin said. "I think she needs some alone time."

"Come on!" Starfire exclaimed, grabbing both boys and pulling them through the door. "It is time to volley the ball!"

"Serve…UP!" With a boot the volleyball flew over the net on the roof of Titan's tower, and the server Nami landed gracefully and with a smile full of confidence. However, some of those playing the game weren't paying as much attention to the serve—

—as they were the server.

"NAMI-SAAAAN!" Sanji's tongue fell from his mouth and covered the ground like a red carpet as he noticed something _other_ than the volleyball bounce. Hearts shot from his eye, but they weren't enough to stop what was coming next—blood flew as the ball careened straight into the cook's nose, and he was again down for the count.

"Sanji-kun!" Starfire exclaimed, rushing to her teammate's side.

"Well," sighed Zoro, "considering where the love-chef was looking he'd have gotten a nosebleed anyway."

Nami pulled her eyelid down. "Oh no, you've lost a member of your team already!" she mocked.

"We'll be fine," Cyborg growled. "We've got more than what it takes to win, even minus a player."

As she picked up the ball the navigator smiled. "Fine. Then let's see—" Instantly the ball was in the air and another world-class serve sent it soaring over the net. "—Whether you've got the skills to back your words!"

"I've got it!" Beast Boy cried as he punted the ball with both hands over the net.

"Rubber…" On the other side, Luffy's arm soared backwards as he rampaged forward. "…PISTOL!"

A sweat drop rolled down the changeling's head. "Wait a second—we can use our powers!"

With a boom the ball soared into the stratosphere, only to be intercepted by Starfire and a tremendous display of her natural Tamaranian strength. The poor, battered ball soared like a falling meteor towards Usopp, who instantly dropped to his knees.

This shifted the slack to Robin, who was already spinning towards his target. Unleashing a scream and glare far beyond a simple game of volleyball, the Boy Wonder delivered a punch that again rocketed the unfortunate projectile back to Cyborg's side.

"No you don't!" The robot cried; he was more than ready. The boosters in his feet had flared, propelling him straight into the ball's path. Windows shattered as he attempted to spike back to the other side.

An unfortunate Tony Tony Chopper was in line to volley this time, and like a game of "Hot Potato" he didn't want to handle the now-dangerous sphere any longer than he had to. The reindeer blindly thrusted his massive Human Point arms above his head, sending the ball hurling horizontally into the air.

One of the theif's feet planted itself atop the doctor's head as Nami lunged for the volleyball, and the effort proved successful as she sent it again towards Cyborg's side—finally without superhuman speed this time.

"Dude, Zoro, this one's headed right towards you!" Beast Boy exclaimed before his green jaw literally unhinged and collapsed at the sight that greeted him.

The ball fell to the ground—if it was animate it'd be praising the swordsman for its respite—next to a sleeping Zoro. Cyborg's jaw twitched a bit.

"I do not understand," Starfire sighed, "Was he not awake only a moment ago?"

"Too bad," smiled Nami as she again retrieved the ball. "Should have picked your team more carefully! Zoro and Sanji have power, but it's obvious that Zoro couldn't pay attention to the game—and that Sanji couldn't overlook me long enough to be useful!"

Cyborg clenched his teeth together angrily. "Just serve the ball already."

Meanwhile, Chopper had been amazed at Robin's ability.

"You have no powers!" the reindeer exclaimed. "How can you hit the ball so hard!"

The Titan's leader shrugged. "For me it just comes…naturally. Why don't _you_ try picturing the face of your worst enemy on the ball—you'll be hitting him instead of the ball!"

Chopper's face lit up. "Nami! Nami!" he exclaimed, pulling at her skirt. "Can I serve this time! Please!"

"Come on Nami," Cyborg taunted, "Let'em! It's all in good fun, right!"

Nami growled as she dropped the ball into her teammate's hands and moved forward.

"All right!" Chopper exclaimed as he tossed the volleyball. "Let's go!"

As his fist hurled towards the ball, Tony Tony Chopper couldn't see a small, white volleyball; instead he saw Wapol, the cruel, irredeemable ruler who'd cost him the life of his Dr. Hiliruk!

In an explosion of unadulterated rage the ball soared over the net, across the roof and off the edge of Titan's Tower.

"I got it!" Beast Boy exclaimed, shifting into a green bird as he soared over the side.

"No, let me!" Chopper cried, blushing as he took his reindeer form and charged for the edge.

Robin sighed. "Maybe my advice _wasn't_ the best for him."

"Yeah," Luffy laughed, "I guess thinking about the mask guy was too much for Chopper!"

The Titan's smile dropped. _'Slade!'_ "I don't think Chopper was thinking about Slade."

"Oh." Luffy didn't seem fazed by his wrong assumption. "But you were, right? Why else would you be hitting the ball so hard?"

"Well…" Now it was Robin who was blushing. "Don't you want to fight him just one more time?"

The rubberman shrugged. "Why? He's not hurting anybody anymore."

Thoughts raced through Robin's head. _'But he could still! Every time we thought Slade was gone he just came back worse than before!'_

"The guy got blown to bits," Luffy continued. "Could we ever beat him up that much?"

_'Yes!'_ Robin thought. _'He could never receive as much pain as he's inflicted on the world! He needs _more_, he—'_ Suddenly his head slumped. _'—is_ dead._ Wow, Slade's actually dead. The city's free of his terror. _That's_ what matters._

_'Heck, maybe now that he's finally gone I can finally get some _peace_.'_

"Yeah, I guess not," the boy said with a smile. "Tell me, Luffy, who's face do you see when you hit the ball?"

"Sanji's!" Monkey D. Luffy exclaimed. "He wouldn't make me any meat for breakfast cause he was too busy making pie!" The bleeding chef twitched at the mention of his name.

A smile spread across Robin's face. _'And maybe with some peace, maybe someday I can be that carefree…'_

"I thought as much."

Meanwhile, Tony Tony Chopper had lunged for the ball he'd sent soaring off the roof—only to remember as he was tumbling into a free-fall that he couldn't fly! Just in the nick of time a green falcon descended upon him, transforming into a Pterodactyl as it grabbed the reindeer in its giant talons, landing with both heroes safely intact.

"What were you thinking!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he shifted to his human form—Chopper shrank to his usual half-human half-reindeer appearance and scratched his head sadly.

"I just wanted to help out," the doctor said timidly. "It was my fault, after all."

Beast Boy smiled. "Well, next time you make a mistake don't go jumping off a building! C'mon, let's find this thing." The changeling's body rippled as he became a bloodhound, sniffing the ground for hints of the lost volleyball.

However, it was the first sign of peace Chopper had seen all day, and he decided it was the perfect time to speak freely. "Beast Boy?" The dog lifted an ear and shifted back into the spindly young boy. "Was what Iso said true? Did Ivan really die?"

The changeling's pointy green ears drooped. "Yeah." He lowered his head, and even Chopper knew that this wasn't the time to say anything. "_I killed him._"

"I KILLED HIM!

"I'm a hero! I'm supposed to protect life, to be able to stop killers, but—" Beast Boy was shaking. "—but I have an animal inside of me. Once when I fought Adonis chemicals made it come out, but even if I don't transform into it it's still _there._ With your Rumble Ball scrambling my body I couldn't fight the instinct!

"I couldn't resist the animals within me and I _killed _him!"

Chopper's head was cocked, his eyes wavering as tears filled them; the tiny reindeer hopped on a rock beside his friend. "I have an animal inside of me too." Beast Boy pulled his face out of his hands and looked at the pirate incredulously.

"Once I overdosed on Rumble Balls—I used three at once, something I should _never_ do. I blacked up and when I woke up, I was told that I had become a rampaging monster that destroyed an entire _town!_

"I felt horrible, but there was nothing else I could do. It was in the past. I just became determined to never allow myself to become that monster again, and to do everything possible to help even more people through my doctor skills to make up for the lives I've lost!"

Silence passed between the two shapeshifters.

"Y'know," Beast Boy grinned, "you're a lot smarter than you look."

Tony's eyes lit up. "Really!" Suddenly his smile shifted into a frown. "Wait, are you saying I look stupid?"

"See?" the Titan smiled. "You _are_ smart." He patted Chopper on the head and smooshed his hat around. "But you're right. I can't do anything now—I just have to make sure it never happens again!"

"Yeah!" Chopper exclaimed. "And it's not as if you _murdered _him…It was self defense, right? You saved _my_ life in exchange for _his_."

Sighing, Beast Boy admitted, "I guess so. But it's a stupid trade. Darn lose-lose situations."

Leaning backwards, Chopper noticed the volleyball and tumbled off the rock to get it. "Yeah, but don't beat yourself up about it. Just make sure it never happens again!"

The smile returned to Beast Boy's face. "Since when did our roles reverse? I'm the one supposed to be helping you out!"

"Really?" Chopper asked innocently. "Should we switch then?"

Chuckling, the changeling took the fellow shapeshifter by the shoulders and looked towards the air. "Nah. We'd just better get back to the game!"

A green pterodactyl swooped down from the sky, dropping its reindeer passenger into position before transforming into a green boy on the other side of the net. As he landed he noticed that Zoro was back on his feet, his purple bruises indicating that Cyborg had told him exactly how he felt about falling asleep during a game.

"'Kay," he grinned, "Since Chopper sent it over the edge it's our serve now!"

Suddenly, though, the ball was no longer in his gloved hands. It now rested in the metallic palm of Cyborg, intent on beating Nami and doubling his money back.

"Y'ALL GOING DOWN!" he declared as he mercilessly served the ball over the net, where it zoomed past the opposing team like a rocket—and again targeted Usopp.

However, this time the sniper had mustered up the fortitude to defend himself, and twisted with all his might, until mighty hammer connected with a weary volleyball.

"USOPP HAMMER!" he cried, his voice warbling uncontrollably as the ball was beaten like a nail—a nail that flew over the net.

Remembering the beating the half-robot had given him only moments before for his sleeping-on-the-job, Zoro dashed for the ball—all the while drawing his three swords and slicing in for an attack!

"ONI GIRI!"

Roronoa Zoro looked on into the horizon, expecting to see the ball hurtling into space like a shooting star in reverse. Instead, the poor thing had finally met its end, flittering to the ground around the swordsman in pieces.

"Oops," he sighed. "I thought I was using the blunt edges of the sword."

"Well, that's the end of that then I guess," Nami said, brushing her hands together before pulling a calculator from her pocket. "Zoro lost your team that point, putting us ahead three to one at the end—I'm afraid, Cy, that you owe me—"

"Triple or nothing!" Cyborg exclaimed.

The navigator sighed and shrugged. "You're persistent, aren't you? On what!"

Not wanting to see his best friend—and personal ATM when he was short of money—go broke, Beast Boy shot up beside his mechanical companion with a handful of socks so filthy they had seemingly become one organism. It gurgled as stink so severe it had become visible in sickly green waves wafted from the ball of laundry.

"How about a game of Extreme Stankball to settle the score?"

"Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos…" Raven sat alone in the sanctuary of her room, a circle of candles flickering lightly around her as she levitated above her floor, eyes closed as she repeated her mantra diligently. "Azarath…Metrion…Zinthos."

With a tremendous boom the tranquility of her meditation was broken as the walls shook. As Raven quickly lashed out with both of her hands fields of black overtook the candles, stopping them from toppling before they had even begun.

"Stupid Stankball," she grumbled as she pressed her fingers together and again closed her eyes—only to be presented with a knock at her door.

Sighing, Raven replied by saying, "No, Beast Boy, for the last time I _don't_ want to play Stankball."

"No," responded a voice that was _far_ too deep to belong to the changeling. "It's Zoro."

Raven's eyes snapped open and she dropped to the floor, flustered. It was hard enough to handle her emotions without bringing _him_ into the equation. No doubt he was angry with her invasion of his mind—and it was something she didn't want to face.

"C'mon," Zoro insisted. "Why are you avoiding me?"

As the empath grimaced one of the candles before her flew into the air, propelled by a black explosion.

'_Then again,'_ she thought, _'it's not doing me any good to ignore him either.'_

The door slid open a tad as the Titan peeked out with one eye, covered in the shadows of her hood. "I'm not avoiding you; I'm avoiding this entire celebration."

Zoro peered through the tiny opening in the doorway; as if it was nothing he reached in and pulled the door open, sauntering in lazily as he stretched his arms behind his head. The door slid shut behind them as Raven looked on irately.

"Nami said you _wanted_ to celebrate," the swordsman yawned.

"I did," Raven insisted. "As soon as we got back I made some herbal tea and read my favorite book. What they're doing isn't celebrating: it's idiocy."

The green-haired warrior nodded. "Yeah, all those games are stupid—they're no fun."

The Titan's empathic powers told her otherwise. "No they're not; you're just angry because they wouldn't let you play anymore."

"I didn't want to anyway," Zoro said, "But being told no suddenly made me want to instead." He paused for a moment, pondering how she knew just how he was feeling. "That's _creepy._"

Raven swallowed a lump in her throat.

"It's like you know everything I feel and think," he continued. "But I guess you should, since you've been in my mind an' all."

She couldn't take it anymore.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Raven sighed as weight started to life from her overwhelmed emotions. "It was just so frustrating! You were so stubborn and it was stopping us from finishing our mission—" Sweat trickled down her gray skin as she paused for a moment. "—But I think the worst part was that, in the end, I was just as curious about _you._

"I'm _so_ sorry for invading your privacy."

"Oh," Zoro replied, looking a bit overwhelmed. "Thanks, but, I didn't really care about that."

The Titan was stunned. "But…you've been dropping hints ever since! You kept trying to talk to me about it…I thought you were _angry_ at me…"

"Oh yeah," the pirate suddenly said, his memory jogged. "All I wanted to tell you was that…well—what you saw in my head. It stays between you and me, okay?"

An unexpected smile crawled across Raven's face. "Absolutely."

"Y'know," Zoro continued as he looked through the dreary room, "You literally know _everything_ about me, but I know _nothing_ about you."

Chuckling, Raven admitted, "I guess that's true." She got back onto her feet and locked her door before finally pulling down her hood. It was time—she trusted him.

"Have you ever heard of a being called Trigon the Terrible?"

Zoro shook his head no.

"He is the physical incarnate of evil—the source of all darkness.

"He's also my _father_."

The halls of Titans Tower continued to be filled with a horrid stench as the young heroes within competed to see who could go the longest without getting hit with the putrid ball of almost living filth.

"I got 'im!" Beast Boy exclaimed as he swerved around a corner, his target in sight and with nowhere to run in the narrow hallway. "This is for the win!" he cried as the stankball flew from his tiny hands and soared towards Usopp.

The sniper's lips quivered as he screamed—however, seeing the hallway dead-end in front of him he turned to the only option he knew. One swing of his trusty hammer on the closest door in the hallway provided the only possible escape.

Meanwhile, the young Terra gazed out the giant window in her room with a look of sadness. Slung across her tiny shoulders was a sack—within it was everything she possessed.

She was once a wanderer, and a wanderer she would again become.

It wasn't that she didn't love the Teen Titans—on the contrary; she had risked her very life for them. While once she had found Beast Boy's 'betrayal' enough to try to take down the team from the inside, now she doubted it could be anything more than more of Slade's manipulation. She had grown to love the heroes. She had grown to love Titan's Tower—of all the places she had visited, it was the only one that had ever felt like home.

She'd give anything to stay here, to remain a Titan.

Yet she knew it couldn't be.

Perhaps Terra had fought back against Slade and even assisted in the fight against Iso, but she had still betrayed the Titans and the Straw Hats. Perhaps they had tentatively trusted her to assist, but she knew it wouldn't last. Heck, she couldn't even trust _herself_. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't even run away with the Straw Hats. She didn't _deserve_ them.

And as the earth-mover continued to pile on the self-doubt her door was blown open by a hurling body. Usopp skidded across her floor, the hammer falling from his hands. The boy's trip finally came to a stop and he was motionless for a few moments before he rose to his feet, on the lookout for Beast Boy and the Stankball.

Then he saw… "T—Terra!"

All traces of a smile, even one from panicked fervor, vanished from his face. "Why do you have that sack? Are you—"

"Yeah," Terra sighed. "I can't stay here. I don't belong."

"Of course you do," Usopp countered. "Everybody wants you back!"

Terra didn't believe it. "_You_ want me back, _Beast Boy_ wants me back—maybe one or two of the others, but I can guarantee you Raven and Robin won't want me back. C'mon, can you blame them? Look what I did to you guys! Man, if Slade hadn't discovered the Stone of Iso Toa and become so obsessed with it, who knows what might I might have done!"

Usopp clenched his teeth. "Why are you putting yourself down! What happened to saving yourself! You came back to defeat Slade and redeem yourself and now you give up!"

"I was stronger than Slade but…he was still right. There's no way I can come back now! I did what I did to help save people I cared about…even though I knew I could never be forgiven."

"Stop saying that!" Usopp commanded, shaking with intensity. "Why should Slade get to decide that? You and the Titans should be the ones to make the decision! You're just assuming they'll turn you down without even seeing for yourself!"

Terra let herself show a tiny smile as she started to walk past the sniper. "You want me to stay here? You're not asking me to come back with you if I'm going to leave anyway?"

Sighing, Usopp admitted, "You know you can't live at sea. You belong here. You're a Teen Titan. At least give them another chance to give _you_ another chance."

"You're sweet when you tell the truth," the earth-mover said before she planted a quick kiss on the liar's cheek. "Like I said, you need to do it more often."

"EWWWW!" squealed a high pitched voice. Standing at the base of the battered door was Tony Tony Chopper, attempting to hide but not understanding the concept as nearly his entire body was left uncovered save for the one eye behind the door.

Pulling the stick off of her shoulder, Terra knew there was more. "Come on BB, you can't hide from me."

A tiny green speck on the wall suddenly enlarged into the Titan's human form. "So you're still leaving?" She nodded. "C'mon, I hate to admit it but the guy's definitely right. Give yourself a chance!"

Another kiss landed on the changeling's furry cheek. "Thanks, but I don't deserve one."

"Sure you do."

Robin, followed by the other heroes and pirates, entered her room—Stankball left behind for a friend.

"No I don't!" Terra insisted, tears bursting from her eyes. "No matter where I've gone all I've done is bring destruction to those I've loved, and it's no different with you! Why should you let trouble like me stay here!"

"Because this is where you belong," Beast Boy simply said, laying a hand on her shoulder.

Usopp took the other. "We're family!" The others—Titan and pirate alike—nodded in agreement. "We stick up for each other in the good times and the bad!"

"Definitely," Robin agreed. "And you've done your fair share of good too. I'm not saying things can be exactly the same—we've all been through a lot, and we're going to have to rebuild our trust from scratch. But Terra, we talked it over and we _all _decided: we _want_ to. And we _will_.

"Stay."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, the tiny girl stared at her friends incredulously. _'They…they want me back! They really _are_ family. This really _is_ home!'_

"C'mon," Luffy grinned, "Y'know you want to!"

"Yeah," she smiled. "Yeah, I do!"

"Ooh," Starfire squealed with delight, "This calls for the group hug!"

Hearts bulged from Sanji's eyes as she pulled the heroes together, and for once none of the others could even complain. It was _right._

Terra, Usopp, and the others fell into an embrace that again united them as one family. The Iso-jin may have inconvenienced them, but that was all they did. The bond between the Straw Hat Pirates and the Teen Titans was stronger than ever—it was truly a relationship that could never be severed.

However, one final threat loomed on the horizon, threatening to challenge that title. It was no surprise, no final twist waiting to jump the friends—it had been there from the beginning, the inevitable outcome that all had ignored in hopes that they'd in turn not have to face it.

Yet, despite that it all came down to returning home. The Straw Hat Pirates and the Teen Titans had separate lives in separate universes—and a rift like that tends to kill friendships.

They had all known this, and they had all put it off, but there was no more time to waste. It had to happen, whether they liked it or not. This omnipresent fact revealed itself in the form of a final figure entering the room.

The heroes' group hug was interrupted as they all looked up to see Ian stagger through the doorway, still injured but finally conscious.

"Yo," he grunted, leaning on his sword for support. "When am I going home!"

Nami stood with several wads of green around her feet, happily sifting through bills held between her fingers. "What a treasure!"

"Don't rub it in," Cyborg growled. "And I still don't see how that group hug counted as a forfeit of the Stankball game."

"Starfire called the hug, and she was on your team," Nami explained, sticking out her tongue. "Stop being such a sore loser!"

Cyborg could only sigh and hang his head.

Next time: Epilogue—A Friendship That Spans All


	30. Chapter 30

**The Ultimate Cruise:**

**One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Chapter 30: Epilogue—A Friendship That Spans All**

Black and red sparks flew through the living room of Titans Tower—like a supernatural blacksmith Raven was hard at work, sending streams of darkness from her hands. Ian's Eehuah sword lay unsheathed on the table, receiving the powerful attacks without breaking. Their colliding powers lit up the room.

"Are you sure my sword's the key?" Ian asked, one eyebrow raised. The other heroes were assembled behind him, all curious as to how the ancient Iso-jin artifact held the ability to bring them home.

"Not your sword specifically," Raven explained. "Any item holding a large source of energy native to your world would do just as well. I should be able to lock my powers onto that energy and combine the two to create a trans-universal rift."

The teams sighed. "So this is it?" Chopper asked sadly. "We're really going home? This is really goodbye?"

"It seems that it is," Starfire gloomily said. "But I wish it was not the time for farewells."

Suddenly Sanji was on her back. "Oh my sweet Star-kun, it is never farewell for us! My heart will always be with you!" A heart floated from his eye and came to rest on the Tamaranian girl's shoulder.

"Yeah," Cyborg began, "As much as I like you guys…I don't think our world is the place for you. Look at all the trouble Luffy caused out there!"

"How was I supposed to know I wasn't in the tower!" Luffy objected.

"I dunno," Nami growled. "COMMON SENSE!" Suddenly the rubberman was on the ground, a hand-shaped welt growing on the side of his face.

Just as suddenly, the navigator was looming far above Cyborg. "And _you_—you're just saying that cause you're worried about me taking more of your money!"

Dollar bills sprouted wings and flew away behind the half-robot's head. "It's all go-oone!" he wailed.

"We couldn't stay anyway," Luffy grinned as he got back to his feet. "I'm gonna be King of the Pirates, and I can't do that here!" His crew looked on in admiration. "Unless the position's open here!"

"I don't think we have pirates here," Beast Boy said, "Unless you want to get the new Super Monkey-Zombie Seven game for me! It's not gonna be released for ten more months!"

The back of Terra's hand made a thwacking sound on the boy's head. "Not _that_ kind of pirate—I don't think cyberspace is ready for Luffy."

Sparks flew from Chopper's eyes as an idea sprung into his head. "Hey, you guys could come with us!"

"I don't think so," Robin replied. "If we weren't here to protect this city, it'd be overrun with crime!"

"Just like if Captain Usopp weren't around, the Grand Line would never be safe!" Of course, nobody believed the braggart's bravado, and the line he whispered beneath his breath was much more believable. "I guess you've won…Beast Boy."

Yet, despite the nearly unintelligible mumbling, Terra appeared beside Usopp. "Am I a prize now?"

Stammering, Usopp tried to play it off but mostly ended up blaming some sort of alien-seahorse hybrid.

"I guess," he finally admitted. "A girl as good as you…_is_ a prize. And now that we're going to be apart…he's won."

"Stupid kid," Terra said as she again kissed the sniper on the cheek, "I have my whole life ahead of me. There's far more choices ahead of me than just you two. And besides, if I liked somebody enough I wouldn't even let separate universes get between us!"

Usopp's blood rushed to his head.

Meanwhile, Zoro leaned against the table Raven was working on. "So, are you going to tell them?" he whispered.

"About my father, or about—"

"I was thinking of the second one," Zoro smiled, "But both would do, yeah."

Raven sighed. "I'm not telling them about my father—nobody else should have to live with the dread of knowing what he'll do."

"I think that's a mistake," Zoro growled.

"So, Zoro," Raven interjected, "Why don't you tell the crew about Kuina?"

The swordsman smiled and admitted defeat—he knew when he was outsmarted.

"What about the other—"

"Everybody," Raven interrupted, answering the green-haired pirate's question. "I don't think this is farewell quite yet!"

The other heroes instantly grew quiet, not sure what to make of the witch's statement. A ball of black, with crimson electricity circling it, was held between her gray hands.

"The Iso-jin energy exists at the exact opposite frequency as mine," Raven explained. "Plus, I've used it before through the so-called Iso-jin 'magic'. My point is, after all we've been through I should be able to lock onto its unique signature once the Eehuah has been returned to the Grand Line."

Monkey D. Luffy scratched his head. "What the hell's that mean?"

"It means," Raven continued, rolling her eyes, "That I'll be able to open more portals to the Eehuah! Whenever you return to Ianoa Island, we'll be able to meet up!"

"Then we can see each other again!" Chopper exclaimed. The others behind him leapt for joy.

"Glorious!" Starfire gushed. "It is truly as the ancient Tamaranian saying goes: 'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end!' This is not an ending, only the beginning of a new tale!"

Beast Boy scratched his head. "Wait a second," he said, confused. "I didn't know Semisonic was Tamaranian!"

"Hold on," Ian commanded, "You're going to keep using my sword's power as a portal!"

"Is that a problem?" Zoro asked, fingering the hilt of his katana playfully.

The crystal swordsman laughed. "Not anymore. After everything you've been through you deserve part of the power."

"Damn straight," the pirate replied. "But what are you going to do with the rest of that power?"

"What I should have done from the start." Ian smiled as he stared into space. "My mom always said it was wrong to have power and not use it—I'm going to follow my dream just like you're following yours!"

"Um, excuse me guys," Raven interrupted, "But it's awfully hard holding this portal here."

Robin smiled. "If you can, just hold it one more minute." The boy wonder turned towards Luffy and the other Straw Hat Pirates. "The Teen Titans have something to give you as a goodbye gift!"

"That's funny," Luffy smiled, "'Cause we've got something for you guys too!"

The cry of a raven echoed through the air as the very sky above Ianoa Island seemed to tear open—just as it had decades ago, when tragedy struck Iso and started the entire sordid story of the Iso-jin.

A black, bird shaped hole floated in the sky, and one-by-one seven figures leapt from the void to the ground. A grand Marine vessel floated in the port behind them; beside them was a pillar of ice, a Marine Captain still capsulated within. Roronoa Zoro placed the still unconscious Tashigi at the feet of her frozen commanding officer.

"It's nice to be home again," Ian smiled as he looked over his island with new eyes. "This place will always be beautiful to me…but I'll make sure that soon everybody will see Ianoa Island the way I do in my heart!"

"Cool!" Luffy exclaimed, a grin pasted across his face. "We'll be back to see it—an' to see you guys again!"

"You'd better be," Robin playfully threatened on the other side of the rift. "We'll be waiting."

The portal collapsed, dispersing as if blown away by the wind. That quickly, the final fragile link between the two teams was gone. It was the end of their adventure—but as Starfire had said, it was only the beginning of new stories!

"Wait a second," Nami's face grew pale as her jaw collapsed in pure shock. "We never got the time to repair the Merry Go!"

Usopp grabbed his hammer and thrusted a fist into the air. "No worries! Captain Usopp will have it back to normal in mere—"

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

An entire fleet of Marine grunts filed out of alleyways and confronted the Straw Hat pirates—they were a seemingly endless field of white that stifled all escape.

"What!" Chopper exclaimed incredulously. "How did they all recover already!"

"I guess I should have kicked their asses harder," Luffy growled.

Zoro's hand moved to his katana, and a shared sentiment spread to the rest of the pirates as they readied themselves for battle. "I guess we'll have to take care of this first, eh?"

"SAI SAI SLAM!"

A figure crash-landed directly in the center of the crowd of Marines like a grey comet, sending the soldiers scattering as if they were bowling pins.

"CROSS-CUT SLASH!"

Fierce claws sliced through the grunts in a yellow blur that was impossible for them to follow.

The Marines could only stand in shock as they stared at those who had so quickly torn through the troops. Before the soldiers stood a giant half-man half-rhino, and at his side a cheetah-man.

"Good to see yous guys!" Tank exclaimed. "Sorry 'bout what happened before—even if wes was being tricked, there wasn't no excuse!"

"Wes knows better now!" Swifty announced. "Consider wes friends again—if yous want wes to be!"

Grinning, Sanji tapped ashes from his cigarette. "You got it!"

Suddenly a Marine screamed as blood gushed from his nose—he fell to the ground as a feminine figure somersaulted backwards and landed next to Ian.

Chiyu smiled slightly. "I see you've all discovered the truth as well." The Straw Hats nodded, except for Sanji who was too busy undressing her in his mind. "Then that puts on the same side now, doesn't it?

"Tank and Swifty repaired your boat—get out of here! We can hold these Marines back!"

"Really!" Nami was stunned. "Thank you so much!"

"It's the least we can do after everything that's happened," Ian said hurridly as he pulled for his mystical sword. "Now go! Your dreams await you—while mine begins anew right here, right now!"

The Straw Hat Pirates all cheered as they ran towards their ship—and the beginning of new journeys.

"Where are our soldiers now?" Ian whispered into the ear of his love as the Devil Fruit users tore through Marine soldiers.

"They're hiding in the alleys, ready to deploy when I give them the word," Chiyu explained, staring at the boy with new respect. "The stone's gone, isn't it? We're King and Queen of the Iso-jin now, aren't we?"

Ian shook his head, much to the girl's surprise. "There are no more Iso-jin! We'll reclaim Ianoa Island's freedom as citizens! Soldiers, fall back! Let _me_ handle this!"

Tank and Swifty both leapt backwards, landing next to their new commander in their human forms, eager to see what new truths he had embraced in his time away from this world. Love emanated through Chiyu's body as she watched the boy she cared for so much truly become a man.

Several dozen Marines had survived by sheer numbers alone, and they still stood their ground, aiming weapons for the four vigilantes. "Give it up! By defending those pirates you're only making yourself criminals too!"

"You have no right to tell me who to defend!" Ian exclaimed as he drew the Eehuah. A crimson wind exploded from the sheath, sending soldiers sprawling. "Those pirates have done more for this damned island than you Marines have ever attempted! If you think you can just waltz in here now and demand I hand over my friends, then you're all idiots!"

With one swing of the ancient sword a wall of burning crimson energy shot forth, undulating through the air viciously, as if it carried its creator's desire to destroy the impudent soldiers.

"CRIMSON TSUNAMI!"

Marines flew as did blood as the attack ravaged the soldiers. Red electricity simmered in the background as the aftermath of the devastating attack truly set in. Ian sheathed his weapon, the silhouettes of himself and his three companions ominously reflecting behind them.

"We are the new protectors of Ianoa Island! This place is no longer under the control of the gangs or of your corrupt World Government—so stay the Hell outta my home!"

Far off the shore of the Island floated a Marine vessel—however, the crew aboard were the exact antithesis of Marines. Pirates crowded the ship like bugs, downing whiskey in mind-numbing amounts and celebrating their new found freedom.

In the center of it all stood a garish pirate dressed like a clown—he even had a large, red nose, much to his disdain.

"Captain Buggy!" A pirate exclaimed, beer sloshing out of the side of his cup as he yelled. "How does it feel to finally be free!"

"Fantastic!" Buggy the Clown exclaimed, pumping a fist into the air. After the proud captain had met defeat at the hands of Monkey D. Luffy and Nami, he had chased them all the way to Loguetown—where he was promptly captured by Captain Smoker and later used as bait for the very same pirates he sought, only to be defeated yet again!

However, the defeat handed to him by the Teen Titans had been a blessing in surprise, freeing him and his crew from Smoker's grasp!

"Now that we're free we're gonna find that rubber kid and beat him for good!"

"But…"

Buggy looked toward a stunningly beautiful woman in a cowboy hat—Lady Alvida, who had pursued Luffy out of her own twisted love and also became a prisoner of Smoker.

"…Doesn't it feel like we never should have been captured in the first place?"

She had a point. "Yeah," Buggy suddenly realized, "It does seem like we should have escaped from Smoker back in Loguetown…could it be a plot hole!"

"Actually," Alvida said with a smile, "I was thinking more along the lines of horrible fan-subs…"

Both pirates froze as they tried to figure out just what in the world they were talking about.

"Oh no!" they exclaimed. "We've become exposition!"

"Captain Buggy! Lady Alvida! The Straw Hat's ship was spotted leaving Ianoa Island!"

Alvida licked her lips. "Finally. Luffy, I will make you mine!"

"Full speed ahead!" Buggy commanded. "I'm gonna kill that rubber brat—WITH STYLE!"

"I can't believe those jerks!" Tashigi exclaimed as she stood before her frozen superior. "They'll pay for this!"

In an instant she drew her sword, deftly slicing through both the icy prison and Robin's remaining sub-zero disks. Puffs of smoke escaped from the shattered pillar, spiraling through the air as they took a humanoid shape and finally reformed the fearsome Captain Smoker.

The Marine shivered. "What's going—Straw Hat! And the new kid! Where are they?"

"They're long gone. You've been frozen for days—I, meanwhile, was captured by this kid," she recounted sadly. "He kept me drugged and I can't remember much, but I know he and those pirates used me! When we got back here, that kid declared mutiny on the World Government!

"He said that he was the protector of this island and that we should stay out of his business!"

Playing with one of the cigars hanging from his massive lips, Smoker surveyed the tattered island. "The people here have gone through a lot—and there hasn't been much we Marines have done to fix it. If I were him I wouldn't act any differently.

"Soldiers! Pack up and let's move out of here!"

"But wait!" Tashigi objected. "How can you—"

Smoker growled. "Are you going to listen to the government like a dog, or are you capable of making decisions for yourself!" Tashigi gasped and backed up a step. "It's up to us to choose for ourselves what '_justice_' truly is—and my justice lies with those pirates, not some kid here with a justifiable grudge!

"Are you with me!"

Tashigi nodded and ran towards the boat. "You bet I am! I still hafta make Roronoa Zoro pay for everything that's happened!"

"That's right," Smoker said. "And Straw Hat—we've got a score to settle!"

Meanwhile, a world away, a puny inmate pounded furiously on the unbreakable walls of his cell in the Jump City prison.

"Let me out!" he wailed. "The great Adonis should not be held within a jail like this!"

"Quiet down," a guard commanded, ignoring the inmate's ego-trip. "You'll wake Plasmus."

Adonis angrily looked over towards the other frail human held in a sound-proof tank, wishing he _could_ wake the beast and perhaps escape.

"It's not fair!" Adonis cried, falling to his knees. "It was just a kid—some puny kid! How could he defeat me!"

Still, Adonis should have been happy considering the alternative—jail was likely preferable to _death._ However, on this day the jailed were miserable, while it seemed that the dead were catching all the lucky breaks.

Slade could—_somehow—_still _feel._ Slowly the mastermind's senses returned to him, leaving the villain confused as to how he was still alive.

However, as he finally got a look at himself he knew—he _wasn't_ alive. His costume was shredded, revealing Slade's body to be nothing but a skeleton—a living skeleton.

"How?"

"I saved you," bellowed a fearsome voice—a voice of darkness, tainted so much with evil that not one sign of hope could be heard within. Even Slade was shook by the sound as he suddenly searched his surroundings for a sign of life. He was standing on the only patch of land in an ocean of fire. He somehow smelled sulfur as he surveyed the black walls.

Directly across from Slade appeared four giant, red eyes, their evil presence freezing Slade in place.

"Serve me," commanded the voice bellowing from the eyes, "And I shall return to you the life you lost."

As the words and their impact sunk into Slade, a red 'S' was suddenly drawn onto his forehead as his costume reformed around his skeleton-body. The criminal genius looked toward his hand, and a red flame of almost immeasurable power sparked to life in his palm.

"I certainly can't turn down that offer," Slade said. "Your wish is my command."

Even though he was still technically dead, Slade was overjoyed to not yet be gone. "Don't get comfortable, Robin," he warned, "because the peace you're expecting will never come!"

"I sent every small fish I could find to survey what was left out of the hideout," Aqualad reported, "And they haven't found even one sign of life."

"Thanks Aqualad—good work!" Cyborg commended from the living room of Titan's Tower, on his side of the communicator. "I've already sent Tram back with a huge dinner feast for the two of you!"

The underwater hero grinned. "What, embarrassed to invite me back to the tower?" he joked.

"Um," Cyborg stuttered, "The Tower really isn't in shape to have visitors yet."

"Gaaaaaaaah, nasty!" Beast Boy exclaimed, a video game controller hanging in his hand by the cord. "There's pie in my Gamestation controller!"

Silkie was lying next to the shapeshifter; the tiny larva was on its back, clearly stuffed with pie. Suddenly it burped, sending a large bubble flying from its mouth.

Terra flopped onto the couch next to her suitor. "Why don't you change into whatever little worm thingy Silkie is and just eat all the pie in your controller?"

"I believe this will be more effective," Raven said as a dustpan and broom floated in front of the two Titans.

Robin, meanwhile, was cleaning pie from his crime-computer as Starfire floated up behind him.

_'If I do not listen to Sanji-kun,'_ she thought sadly, _'then he will be disappointed when we meet again!'_

"Um, Robin," Star began, clearing her throat, "I have something I wish to speak with you about."

"What is it, Star?"

However, the second the words left the Boy Wonder's mouth, an alarm sounded and a red light began flashing throughout the tower.

Robin's attention was instantly drawn back to his computer. "The H.I.V.E.'s robbing a jewelry store downtown!"

"Well, it looks like everything's back to normal then," Cyborg smiled as he leapt to his feet.

"As normal as it gets around here, anyway," Raven said as she pulled up her hood.

"Well, I can't wait to get back to beating bad-guy tail!" Terra exclaimed, pulling her goggles across her eyes.

"Yeah," Beast Boy smiled, "We'll show them what the Teen Titans are all about!"

Somersaulting over his console, Robin landed on the other side of the Tamaranian. "I'm sorry Star, but can whatever you have to tell me wait until after the battle?"

"Yes," Starfire smiled in a half whisper, "But no longer than that."

The Titans ran through the sliding doors towards the elevator, but as they passed through the doorway every single one couldn't help but look up.

Hanging above the doors was a large black flag, emblazoned with skull-and-crossbones wearing a Straw Hat. It was the mark of their friendship—these heroes were also pirates!

"Titans, GO!"

"Ah, I missed my seat!" Luffy exclaimed, hugging the wooden goat masthead he was sitting upon. "I promise I'll never leave you alone that long again!"

Passing by the captain, the navigator couldn't help but to sigh. "Luffy, it's an inanimate object," Nami grumbled, wiping orange bangs from her eyes. "Much like your brain."

The rubberman ignored her as he started to rub his 'seat' attached to the front of the Merry Go. "After all, you're the coolest seat ever!"

With a combination shrug/sigh, Nami left Luffy to his throne and instead looked toward the grove of tangerine trees. "Oh Sanji-kun! How are they!"

"They're nice and ripe, Nami-saaaaaaaaan—just like you!" the cook responded as he picked the orange-like fruit, placing them into a basket that was as full of fluttering hearts as it was tangerines. The object of his affection grimaced at his ill-phrased compliment. "Doesn't look like the rhino or the cheetah ate any, either!"

Dangling his tiny feet over the edge of the roof the trees were planted on, Tony Tony Chopper sunk his teeth into one of the fruit. "Well, I dunno about a rhino," he began, his words slurred a bit as tangerine juice spurted from his mouth, "but aren't cheetahs carnivores anyway?"

"Wow!" Usopp, meanwhile, explained as he stared at the metal plating on the back deck. "They sure did a great job patching up this deck!" The sniper leaned down and rubbed it, then stuck out his tongue and pulled at his eyelid as he watched his reflection do the same.

However, as the liar stared into the repaired wall he could see the exact same spot on the back deck where he had first met Terra, and a sigh of sadness escaped Usopp's mouth.

_'I miss her already.'_

Behind him, Roronoa Zoro span viciously—like a green tornado—with dumbbells with weights larger than the swordsman's torso gripped in his hands and mouth. If he wanted to get stronger, he had to make up for the training time he'd lost!

Unfortunately, as the pirate span he suddenly got sleepy, and with no hesitation he let the weights fall and collapsed to the ground himself. While Zoro seemed to instantly fall asleep despite the conditions, the force of the dropped dumbbells hitting the deck sent Usopp sprawling.

The whites of Usopp's eyes disappeared as he saw the tattered deck beneath the napping swordsman.

"What do you think you're doing bastard!" Usopp screamed, forgetting his sadness as he shook Zoro vigorously. "Those Iso-jin guys just fixed this thing!"

Despite Usopp's effort Zoro had only been shook into semi-consciousness—however, he could certainly still defend himself. "Doesn't matter," Zoro groggily muttered. "You're the greatest at fixing this ship anyway, right?"

"Certainly!" Usopp exclaimed, dropping Zoro, who fell asleep the second his back hit the deck. "Captain Usopp can fix whatever troubles come our way all while fending off sea monsters—while blindfolded!"

"You guys!" Nami screamed. "Get out here!"

Zoro slept through the navigator's call as the sniper rushed to the front. Nami was looking desperately at the device on her wrist. "The Log Pose Indicator just changed direction completely! We need to change course! Get to work guys!"

Chopper and Usopp nodded while Sanji nearly melted. "Right this second, Nami-saaaan!"

However, before they could even react a catchy tune chimed from their pockets. This time even Zoro was roused as all six pirates pulled out a small, round device. The outside was yellow while the center was black, with a large '_T_' emblazoned front and center.

It was a Teen Titan communicator, and proof that this crew was more than pirates—they were heroes too! The group looked back towards Ianoa Island hesitantly—there was still time to go back.

"What's wrong guys?" Luffy asked, smiling as he placed the beloved token back into his pocket. "We have places to go!"

One by one the Straw Hat Pirates agreed, their glum faces quickly lighting up with smiles. Only a second later six fists pumped into the air.

"LET'S SAIL!"

**The end…or rather…simply another beginning!**

Hey, that's not all! The story may be over, but stay tuned for a special "behind the scenes" chapter, complete with character bios, an attack list, and a look into what exactly was in this author's strange headas '_The Ultimate Cruise'_ was written!

Thank you for sticking with this story and giving me your input and time! Don't forget to let me know how you feel! And thanks again!


	31. Behind The Scenes

**The Ultimate Cruise:  
One Piece meets Teen Titans**

**Behind the Scenes**

Hi, readers! Now that _The Ultimate Cruise_ is over, I thought this would be the time to give you a behind the scenes look into how this story was written and how I got my ideas, with some interesting tidbits and answers to your questions as well! If you scroll down to the end of that, I've even made character biographies and an attack list!

So, without further adieu:

**General:**

I had just finished writing a story that was a rewrite of the series _Dragonball GT _(which, come on, seriously needed it. Dreadful show, disgrace to the Dragonball name—and don't ask to see it, I love the story but it needs mad revision before it sees anymore internet time), and knew I wanted to write another story. I had rewritten GT because it needed it, but this time I was just looking for an excuse to write _anything._

One Piece was my obsession at the time—as if it still isn't?—so I decided I wanted to write an OP story. Maybe a mini-arc, like what a filler would be (only good) or something. As I was searching for a story idea, somewhere along the line an idea of a crossover meandered into my head, so I began thinking of series that would cross over well with OP (DB and OP crossover? Eh, it's been done.) Then my eyes drifted to a Beast Boy figurine on my computer desk…and magic was made.

_'Heh, Beast Boy and Chopper would get along pretty well, wouldn't they?'_ I thought to myself—_'wait a second!'_

And thus, the idea of crossing over One Piece and Teen Titans was born. Ideas on a plot were still sketchy far after the actual writing began, and I hastily made up the Stone of Iso Toa as a plot device to get the two teams together…and had to make up for my lack of forethought as I went along. I think I compensated well.

Meanwhile, the name "_The Ultimate Cruise"_ comes from a line in the first Japanese One Piece theme song (not the horrible dub rap) that goes "We are, we are on the cruise—We Are!" I believe it's the only English lines in the song, and I was just thinking, what a "cruise" it would be for the two teams. I wish I could have come up with something better though, it sounds kinda generic. I'm not good with titles.

The chapter titles are done in the same titles as the original One Piece anime (though the manga instead follows rather conventional titling systems, sample titles being "Zoro vs. Mr. 1" or "A Ship Waiting for Wind.") Like many animes, OP has long titles usually separated into two different parts, which seems to be because most anime episodes contain two manga chapters' worth of content. Once our protagonists traveled to the Titans world I considered changing the titling to the system used in the Teen Titans series, but since they had no special system, I decided against it, keeping my uniqueness.

The time setting of the story in relation to the series is a bit ambiguous, and it changed as the story progressed: so let's clear it up. In the One Piece world, the story took place after the Straw Hat Pirates left Drum Island but before they made it to Alabasta. Princess Vivi was supposed to be traveling with them at this time, but I ignored that 'cause I couldn't really use her in the story. In the Teen Titans world, this story took place after Terra joined the team but before she betrayed them, in the middle of Season Two. However, I ignored some continuity and mentioned events that happened after this point (such as Beast Boy fighting Adonis, the adventures with Larry, and the arrival of Silkie) as if they had already happened anyway, again, just because I can and they fit into the story.

More will be revealed as we go! Let's move forward!

**Chapter One: The Stowaways—Slade Meets the Rubberman**

▪ **I** called the Straw Hat's boat the "_Merry Go_". This is the name the English VIZ manga gave it, but following the Japanese it should have been called the "_Going Merry"_, which incorporates a pun, like most of OP author Eiichiro Oda's names and attacks do. This isn't technically a mistake, but I prefer _Going Merry_ now, so I'm sad I did it this way, but like all my mistakes in this story, I left it this way for continuity's sake.

▪ This first chapter is filled with naming errors, mostly because at the time I'd only seen One Piece through Korean fan-subs, which got nothing right (they called Luffy "Roof" and Zoro "Suron.") The "indicator" Nami uses to navigate the Grand Line should be called a "Log Pose", and I compensated for this later by calling it the Log Pose Indicator, which technically isn't wrong.

▪ Nami sarcastically calls Sanji "Don Juan". If you don't know who that is, go Wiki it. Wikipedia is your friend.

▪ For about the first half of this story I horribly overused semicolons—now I do it with dashes instead :P

▪ Luffy yells out to Sanji, "Aye Sanji!" The word I was looking for here was "Oi", which is a Japanese word used a lot in the anime. I thought it was some point of Pirate expression and continued to use it for a while, but eventually found out it just meant "hey" in Japanese and stopped using it in dialogue.

▪ I wish I didn't flat out say that Robin was Batman's sidekick in the first paragraph of the Titan's section. The Teen Titans TV show made great effort to avoid appearances or direct use of the Batman's name, though it did reference him several times (such as in "Apprentice Part II" and "Haunted".) The show's writers felt that the use of Batman instantly turned Robin into a kid instead of a leader. I wish I would have danced around it more, as I did in Chapter 28.

▪ Ah, not even done the first fight scene of the series and Slade's using an explosive disk—something he never did in the series, though he used explosives extensively. Since he's supposed to be a parallel to Robin, I kept the mistake anyway. Fun fact: Slade Wilson—AKA Deathstroke the Terminator, the comic book inspiration for the TV series' Slade—at least on one occasion used explosive disks, against Tara in the classic "Judas Contract."

▪ I said in Beast Boy's description that he has green fur, and again mentioned it in Chapter 14. Wrong—at least in the comics, where he just has green skin. Of course, the TV episode "Forces of Nature" he's insinuated to have fur, so I don't really know.

▪ And right after that Raven uses her powers to take a bomb from Slade's hand. I often found myself wishing she'd take weapons from their users in the show (IE Killer Moth's Whip in "Can I Keep Him?"), and took the first chance I could for her to do so.

▪ "**I wasn't expecting it to be so—red." Cyborg said**. One of my favorite lines. Don't ask me why.

▪ Again, because of the crappy fan-subs, I got the attack names mostly wrong for the first five chapters, _especially _Luffy's here. Starting in Chapter Six I found an official attack list and got my names from there. The wrongly named attacks will also be listed in the attack list anyway.

▪ I love that Beast Boy wants his boat to be named the 'Moped.' What I find funny is that somebody unfamiliar with the character might think he meant moped (as in moping, but past tense). Why _would_ he want a mopey boat?!

**Chapter Two: Allies from Opposite Sides—Destination Set**

▪ **A**h, in the first three paragraphs Nami topples the two most powerful Straw Hats. Like many anime females, she suffers from a disease that makes her helpless in fights but almost omnipotent against her friends. Must be in the water.

▪ I said Nami stored her staff in her cleavage. I _swear_ I saw her do that once, but apparently I was wrong and she stores it on her belt beneath her shirt. She _should_ store it in her cleavage though.

▪ I've been confused about Japanese suffixes for a long time, and it's possible that –kun is only used for boys, making Sanji using it for Starfire very…wrong. However, Sanji doesn't use proper suffixes anyway (After Nico Robin joins the crew he calls her Robin-chan, which is incorrect because she's older than him), so I'm not too concerned with it. His lovey-dovey stuff is nonsense anyway.

▪ Okay, big mistake here—I goofed. Chopper is _not_ a vegetarian. As disturbing as it is, he eats meat (though I'm assuming not reindeer, but assuming made me goof in the first place). I will add in my defense that at the time, I'd just barely seen past when Chopper first joined, and knew very little about him.

▪ "**Perhaps he has a food processor in him somewhere." Usopp laughed at his own joke.** How does Usopp know what a food processor is? Don't ask me 

▪ Yes, Terra _does_ look just like Kaya. It was a random thought that just flashed into my head, and I wrote the entire TerraXUsopp scene on the spot, though I wasn't planning on it—originally the Slade vs. Smoker fight was supposed to be part of Chapter 2. This scene made the giant bird filler necessary, but I don't care, it was one of the stories biggest subplots and I'm immensely proud of their first bonding scene.

▪ Terra losing her power at sea was never mentioned in the show or in the comics. I stole the idea from an episode of '_X-Men Evolution'_ where a similarly powered mutant Magma (her powers are closer to the comic Terra's brother Geo Force's powers) lost her strength at the sea. It makes a ton of sense and just seemed the right direction to go.

▪ I mention Vivi here as if she's gone already, but technically, she _should_ be traveling with the Straw Hats right now, as they are en route to her kingdom of Alabasta from Chopper's home in Drum. This is the one hole where I never bothered to think of an in-story explanation—she just wasn't needed in the story.

▪ Sanji's style is never explicitly named "Red Foot" in the manga; instead, it is the nickname given to Sanji's mentor Zeff, the originator of the fighting style. In real life, Sanji's style most resembles the martial art Capoeira.

▪ Robin and Sanji's fight was originally just to give me an excuse to show off Sanji's style—unlike the other Straw Hats, his abilities weren't obvious from the beginning. As the Titan with the closest style, Robin was chosen as his opponent. Much later, a reader referred to this as a SanjiXRobinXStarfire love triangle and, darn it, it is. That triangle did indeed exist in the story and this was indeed the start of it—I just _didn't know it_ at the time. The fight wasn't intended to be that, yet the storyline evolved naturally from it and made me look like I planned a lot more than I did. I love writing.

▪ Usually Sanji calls out an attack name every time he kicks—usually the food term for whatever body part he's aiming for, only in French. When I wrote this fight scene I was without an attack list, and desperately wanted to avoid that, so I only named his major attacks (Mouton Shuuto, Concasse, etc.), and even after finding an attack list kept only naming his major kicks for continuity's sake.

**Chapter Three: Slade the Marine?—The Enemy of my Enemy's Friends is my Friend**

▪ **I **love the chapter title, simply because it makes you think. And totally confuses you. I'm cruel like that.

▪ This marks the first of many times I say "eyes" in the plural referring to Slade, despite the fact that he only has one eye (and Sanji too for that matter, whose second eye—if it exists—is perpetually hidden under his hair)

▪ Slade being able to connect with a hit is believable. Logia users like Smoker don't naturally turn into their element to defend themselves—they have to be ready for the attack and will the action. This is also why Ace is able to knock Smoker through a bar later in the series. The same holds true for Iso later in the story, meaning it could be possible for an extremely fast and strong fighter to defeat Iso without "cheating". Luffy in his newly acquired (as of the current manga arc, at least) "Gear Second", perhaps?

▪ I'm sorry for my dialogue in the early chapters. Slade doesn't seem like Slade here at all upon rereading it.

▪ I got Tashigi's outfit a little wrong. Her shirt has a floral pattern instead of Japanese lettering (kanji), and she wears a blue jacket over it.

▪ In her line about feeding Silkie, Starfire says "can't" instead of "cannot." Starfire doesn't use any contractions in her speech. It seems minor but it really bugs me. I'm going back and fixing these.

▪ I got the names of Chopper's transformations wrong here too (speed and strength mode instead of Reindeer and Human Point, though the actual names seem to be in dispute depending on the translator.) These are mistakes I did change later on.

▪ Ah, attack of the giant bird filler. While I'm annoyed at various mistakes I made, this is the only part of the story I'm flat out disappointed with. It's obviously filler just to make the chapter long enough to actually qualify as a chapter. At least it's somewhat funny though (Zoro is hilarious, I think), but why I'm disappointed with it mainly lies in the fact that Luffy had an encounter with a similar bird earlier in the series, when he meets Buggy the first time. I'm disappointed that, if I really needed the filler, I couldn't come up with something more original. I wish I could go back and spend a little more time with this one.

**Chapter Four: To Defend a Dream—The Boy Who Will Become Pirate King**

▪ **A**ll the early scenes on Ianoa Island seem a little too robust for such a damned island. All I can say is I didn't have the entire story clearly in mind yet. If you want an in-story explanation, our heroes arrived in a port town, which fares somewhat better because of the tourists and pirates. However, it's still dangerous to live in, perhaps moreso because of the deals the gangs can make with the pirates.

▪ Sanji calls the chef a "crap-cooker." I took this line from the little of the English manga I'd read. Due again to the bad subs, I didn't realize Sanji was such a foulmouth. For the first two story arcs he was in, the word shit preceded half the words he said as a prefix. VIZ toned it down to crap, and I used it early on this once as just an insult—I kind of made Zoro the foulmouth instead (see chapter 5). Still, I tried to give Sanji back this trait a little more as time went on (see his fight against the rock man in Chapter 20.)

▪ "**Sheesh, you'd think they were the starving children in India mom always used to talk about." Robin sighed.** Yeah, that line should be Beast Boy. I'm sure Robin's mother said that to him before her untimely demise, but Robin isn't the type of guy to talk about his family…With Beast Boy and Elasti-Girl on the other hand…

▪ Thinking back on it, I'm angry I explained Luffy's origin in-story. It needed to be mentioned, but at the same time, none of the Straw Hat pirates _know_ Luffy's origin. I thought Nami did when I wrote it, but she was only told that Luffy's hat was his treasure. Not bringing up Shanks at all would have worked better—that wasn't really the reason Buggy hated Luffy anyway. Same with Alvida really—nobody besides Luffy and the absent Coby knew how she met them. In all honesty, a lot of the OP characters are rather clueless.

▪ Notice I didn't name Alvida's fruit. I don't know its Japanese name, Buggy's neither. I knew Buggy's English one (Chop Chop), and now I've discovered Alvida's is Slip Slip, but I wish I had the thought to just to look the Japanese names on the internet.

▪ I actually got the right name for Alvida's one attack (not just in the story, it's her only named attack in the manga too), but all of Buggy's attack names are all wrong—or matched with the wrong attack.

▪ Regardless of what I said about the bird filler, this is my least favorite chapter in the story.

**Chapter Five: The Foretold Arrival—Zoro vs. the Crystal Swordsman**

▪ **T**he big green thing Zoro wears around his waist to hold his swords is called a harimaki. I think I use it once in the story, but at this point I didn't know that and just called it a belt.

▪ Once again because of lack-of-research and bad subs, I didn't mention the names of Zoro's swords when I described them. The cursed sword is the Kitetsu III, the heirloom sword is the Yubashiri, and Kuina's white sword is the Wado Ichimonji.

▪ I described Ian here as having black hair—no, it's brown. Obviously, his appearance is modeled after Kratos in Tales of Symphonia. He has a purple uniform while all the other Iso-jin have red ones because I hadn't decided that Iso-jin had red outfits yet, and Kratos has a purple uniform. In-story explanation?: Ian doesn't totally trust Mother and refuses to dress like them.

▪ Yeah, a bit annoyed I had Ian state a prophecy out loud. It was more like Mother telling Ian what would happen and Ian latching onto it as hope, and we didn't need lines for him to recite for that. Meh.

▪ Funny story: Before I planned on introducing the Iso-jin at all, the character that became Ian was a shadowy figure with a mirror Devil's Fruit, allowing him to use _santoryu_ as well. He was simply to be some sort of hunter after the Stone, only to give Zoro a chance to shine amongst the others. Then I thought of the Iso-jin and he evolved into the character Ian—his abilities, meanwhile, evolved because I couldn't figure out how Zoro would beat a mirroring enemy. I don't even know if that's possible—I don't buy the way Aoshi Shinamori defeated the enemy who mirrored him in _Rurouni Kenshin _even.

▪ At the time I thought the concept of the Eehuah's energy sword was fairly original—barring comparisons to a Green Lantern ring—but I hadn't read the _Skypiea_ arc of One Piece yet. The priest Ohm—ironically another opponent of Zoro—has a very similar sword. Just wanted to let everybody know I wasn't copying Ohm—I honestly didn't know he existed. Anyway, Ohm was lame and relied too much upon Mantra—Ian uses the sword better.

**Chapter Six:** **Legendary Rivalry—Marines and Pirates…fight!**

▪ **T**he scene between Chopper and Beast Boy was the first one I ever thought of in the entire story, and I love everything about it. It's also the scene that first foreshadowed their tag-team maneuver against Ivan and, yes, I did have that maneuver thought up already when I wrote this, even if I wasn't sure who they were going to fight with it yet.

▪ Beast Boy can transform into any animal he can picture, so it should be plausible for him to become Chopper—heck, at one point in the comics he became twisted mutant creatures of his own imagination after he was implanted with a Trigon seed. The biggest problem is that Chopper is half-human, something Beast Boy _shouldn't_ be able to imitate, but even his Human Point is enough reindeer where I think there shouldn't be a problem with him being able to transform into Chopper's appearances.

▪ The hand in the water trick—for a cyborg? While I really didn't want to know if that part of Cyborg's humanity remained, apparently one of the old '_New Teen Titans_' comics confirmed that, yes, Cyborg does have…that part (He was in deep pain when kneed there by another Titan as a joke, I believe—haven't read it, just read that it happened.) I guess it's hidden beneath metal plating?

▪ I absolutely love Usopp's "instantaneous running" in this chapter, and the fact that his Ketchup Stars probably took out as many soldiers at Sanji and Chopper. Just so Usopp. I was going to have him snipe a few marines too, but I either forgot or ran out of time, unfortunately.

▪ **As the dazed and confused soldiers searched the sky, they never even got a chance to react as Chopper returned. **No, this was not a reference to the movie "_Dazed and Confused._" In fact, I've never even seen it. Just a coincidence.

▪ "**Besides, it'll be kind of fun to be the bad guys for once." Terra smiled as she hopped off the railing, a yellow hue coming to life around her hands.** Nope, not a coincidence that _Terra_ was the one saying that.

▪ **Just as one of the Marines gave the order to fire he exploded, becoming nothing but a smoldering pile of green ashes. **No no no, ugh. Another example of me just not thinking as I wrote and throwing something in because it sounded cool. It never even _dawned_ on me that Starfire just killed a soldier. And as far as I'm concerned, consider that line retconned—she just knocked the guy out, as did the other Titans in that assault.

**Chapter 7: The Masterminds—Rematch in the Smoke**

▪ **I **love the Slade vs. Luffy fight. Brains vs. brawn is a classic, and Luffy's total lack of brains is just a bonus. Slade didn't get many fights like these in the series, ones where he was totally outmatched. Definitely a testament to his skill that he can do this well against an opponent immune to physical attacks.

▪ At first Luffy vs. Slade was just the obvious fight. The idea of why Slade hated Luffy so much appeared to me as I was writing the scene, and I just went right into it. I mean, having his plans foiled continually by somebody so stupid is just humiliating. I love how writing can be well-planned yet still so spontaneous.

▪ Does smoke actually freeze? I dunno—science was never my strong point and I dropped physics for a computer class where I surfed the internet all day. However, in the OP world I say it _can!_

▪ Hmm, not much to say about this chapter, as it's mostly fight scenes…um, that's my mama! (Please tell me you watch Family Guy!!)

**Chapter 8: A False Ending—The Power of Friendship**

▪ **M**y first flashback…ah the memories. At first I thought I'd put this in Chapter 7, where it belongs chronologically, but I decided it was distracting and had more impact at this point in the story as a flashback. I've learned a lot from the use of flashbacks in One Piece, and I think when done right they can add a lot to a story.

▪ Although Nami only wore Luffy's hat once in the manga—during the battle at Arlong Park—I liked the idea and had Nami fulfill that role twice during this story. However, the main reason I had Nami bring Luffy his hat during this chapter was because I at first intended for our heroes to leave with the Iso-jin immediately. Seeing as I absent-mindedly changed it to leaving the next day instead, it seems kind of redundant.

▪ The speech between Robin and Slade about why Slade's a monster existed to give Slade motive. We're never told why Slade wanted an apprentice, or to take over the city, and though I didn't really have the time or need to figure that out, I wanted to at least discuss why he's doing what he's doing. A desire for power seems the natural reason for me.

▪ Luffy as Slade's apprentice did pass my mind for a moment, considering the previous chapter, but I couldn't think of a way for it to work in the story or for Slade to pull that kind of blackmailing off.

▪ Though the storylines with the Iso-jin throw around important themes involving making decisions and fate, this chapter best sums up the true theme running throughout the _entire _story—friendship is the strongest force in the world and can overcome anything. It also seems to be the theme running through both OP and TT.

▪ Even as I was writing this chapter I was debating whether to let Slade take the stone when he escaped or not. Finally I said "why not?" and let him go. Our heroes chasing after Slade because he had the stone, not just to bring him to justice, seemed to work better to me, and it let Slade move onto a new objective—getting Starfire. The fights with Tank and Swifty wouldn't have worked against Sanji and Starfire if Robin still had the stone!

▪ I described Ivan as in his mid-fifties, but for the timeline to coincide with Gold Roger I think he needs to be a bit younger: mid to late forties, perhaps? Regardless, the stress in his life makes him look old enough to warrant the old man moniker no matter what his chronological age.

▪ The end of this chapter also marks the end of the first story arc Chapters 1-8. The second story arc of _'The Ultimate Cruise' _is covered in Chapters 9-15, and the final battles in Chapters 16-30 make up the final story arc—or at least this is how I would divide the story.

**Chapter 9: Floating Stone—The Cult of the Iso Toa**

▪ **I**'m surprised by the amount of foreshadowing in this chapter. I make references that are meant to foreshadow Raven's use of the Iso-jin magic as well as Mother's rejuvenation, and I'm surprised that I had it planned that early. The creative process is such a jumble sometimes because ideas flow so randomly.

▪ The term Iso-jin is pretty simple. Iso should be obvious, and –jin means people in Japanese (for example, Namek-jin is the Japanese term for the Namekians in DBZ.) Iso-jin simply means Iso's People, more or less.

▪ Ivan—appearance wise—is modeled after Miyata's father on the anime series _Hajime no Ippo_ (Darn good, give it a look). I forget the character Mother's old self was originally modeled after, but if you look at Madam Foster from '_Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends'_ then you've seen old Mother. But that show wasn't around yet when I was writing this early in the story, so I'm sure I didn't get the mental image from her.

▪ Iso-jin magic was hard. I knew from the start it wasn't really magic, just a connection to Iso's power, but a ritual was still needed to access it so that Raven could accomplish it. However, when the time came chapters later to explain how that link was established in the first place, I blanked out. The answer I came up with in the final Chapter 26 flashback might just be simple and subtle enough to really work!

▪ One thing I particularly like about this chapter is that—with the exception of one line—Mother is telling our heroes the truth. However, the master manipulator she is, she's twisting the truth into lies and tricking our poor heroes. She truly _is_ a dis-honorable character.

▪ The names of the Iso-jin artifacts—Eehuah, Ehever and Ehedren—as well as the name Iso Toa itself, are all gibberish. I pulled Iso Toa from my head, as well as the random E-words later on, and as far as I know none of them mean anything and are connected to nothing. Next time I write something, I want to do some research and make my names meaningful, even if only to me.

▪ Ian mentions that his Eehuah was the first artifact made and, darn it, I absent-mindedly contradict that later. Not that it really makes a difference—either Ian was confused or lied to in order to pump his confidence. Yeah, that's it!

**Chapter 10: Departure—Fantastic Journey to Confrontation**

▪ **T**alk about awkward—I wrote a near love scene with Ian and Chiyu. I'll be the first to admit I don't know much about romance or dating, so writing scenes like these are always awkward for me. I just feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, both these series—while having a lot of relationships—play their romances somewhat subtly, and I can _handle_ that.

▪ Speaking of her, Chiyu is Japanese for healing, cure, or recovery.

▪ The great filler scene with Terra, Beast Boy and Usopp in the spa makes me wish I hadn't put Beast Boy and Usopp at odds. They'd both get along just as well as Beast Boy and Chopper did.

▪ In terms of visual appearance, Tank and Swifty resemble Thunder and Lightning from the Teen Titans TV series ("Forces of Nature"), only with different clothes, and obviously Tank isn't blue. Swifty isn't yellow either, but his uniform is. Their introduction in this chapter explains it better, but those two were the original models I drew from when I described them.

▪ "**All my strength is in my legs." Sanji growled as he followed the others. "Much better for Star-kun in the long run."** Just what, exactly, is Sanji implying? It's up to you to decide!

▪ Figuring out Cyborg and Nami's relationship was a bit odd. They were paired because they were the last of their respective series not to get paired with somebody, but they seemed like they would be friends anyway. Nami's a bit flirtatious, Cyborg's always the ladies man (Jinx likes him, Sarasim from the past, etc.), but I think this relationship worked because I decided just to leave it at that instead of trying to create deeper bonds like the others. Don't strain something that wasn't that deep to begin with. They like each other and they're both very competitive, and I like the way it worked out.

▪ "**Enough that even people from alternate dimensions have heard of you? You bet."** I thought it would be obvious, but someone asked me about it, so I'll explain. No, Cyborg didn't actually hear of Nami's thieving reputation all the way in his world. He's _joking_. One of the other Straw Hats probably told him.

**Chapter 11: Unwilling Puppets—The X-Factor**

▪ **I **think I mentioned this in the actual chapters, but no point in not reiterating it. As named in the _Family Guy _episode "The Thin White Line" (real trustworthy source, right?), an X-Factor is the thing leading somebody into bad habits or madness. In this chapter, it signifies Slade's X-Factor changing from Luffy to the Iso-jin.

▪ **The entire massive ménage of soldiers, pirates, and heroes entered the cave. **Throughout the series I had a hard time figuring out what to call our twelve heroes when together. I'd been advised long ago to refrain from the phrase "our heroes" within the story, as it reminds the reader that they're reading a story. They weren't all Titans, they weren't all Straw Hats, and it was always awkward trying to find a word for it. I used ménage this time, I know I varied it a lot but it was always a challenge.

▪ Beast Boy: **"But if we try to go along with it, they go all Benedict Arnold on us! Either way we're screwed!" **Since it's a common expression, I know Beast Boy knows it means traitor, but I'd love to see him actually explain who Benedict Arnold was. Remember his explanation of the Boston Tea Party? I loved that.

▪ **Rocks barraged the Boy Wonder from all directions, knocking him backwards as he was still in mid-jump.** My proofreader misunderstood this, and it's my fault. He thought Robin got knocked somewhere else, but he just got knocked back with the other heroes. This is made clear in the next chapter, but as of this one, it isn't that clear. So now it is winks

▪ When I planned Tashigi's involvement in the story, I hadn't thought about the fact that she'd have to be dragged across parallel universes. I don't like how much effort they had to go through just to get her to the final confrontation, then back. It should seem more natural.

▪ "**I had to dig up some roots and start a fire with my cigarette lighter."** I thought this was rather clever from Sanji, but one mistake is that he doesn't have a cigarette lighter, he has matches. Not a problem, he still cleverly started a fire to keep his Star-kun warm.

**Chapter 12: Half-Hearted Betrayal—An Unholy Alliance is Born**

▪ **I** wish I could be as concise as I was on this flashback. Then again, Tank and Swifty needed a lot less explaining to convey their pasts. Sometimes I worry their back-story is too similar to Ivan's, but I think it works very well so it doesn't matter. Mother manipulated a lot of people like that.

▪ Obviously, Sai means rhinoceros in Japanese and Neko means cat in Japanese.

▪ My proofreader argued that a cheetah shouldn't have the power in its tail to strangle somebody as strong as Starfire. This is true, in reality, but this isn't reality—it's fantasy. If The Cheetah in the Wonder Woman comics can effectively use her tail as a third arm and strangle Wonder Woman—who is at the very least equal to Starfire in strength, check out their fight in the _Teen Titans_ trade '_A Kid's Game'_, my favorite trade of the current comic run—Swifty can do the same. Though this isn't where I got the idea for the attack or Swifty's powers at all.

▪ The final attack—Flaming Mouton Shoot—was inspired by Kuwabara's suicide charge against the Toguro brothers in Yuyu Hakusho, when Yusuke shot him in the back with a Reigun/Spirit Gun, effectively allowing Kuwabara to impale Toguro. Only my attack actually downed the enemy—and actually did the damage to the heroes it should have too!

▪ Raven: **"and since Star broke her communicator, we can't locate her."** Yeah, check the beginning of Chapter 8. I don't think I was thinking this far ahead when she crushed it, but you never know, I've been wrong before.

**Chapter 13: Anger Unleashed—A Need Only She Can Fulfill**

▪ **Robin clenched his fists tight, the anger within him finally boiling over. "You….BASTARD!"** I tried not to have the Titans curse, as they don't in the show, even if it's only because of the Y-7 rating. Still, you know this was boiling up in Robin for a while now.

▪ You have no idea how difficult the fight between our heroes and the Iso-jin armada was—not to write essentially, but just to get organized. I couldn't keep track of which heroes had already fought and which hadn't yet! I eventually had to write them all down on paper and cross them off as I wrote their paragraph. And it all seemed so simple…

▪ **However Ivan—like Mother—was not a man to cross. **Ahaha, this unintentionally calls Mother a man!

▪ Cyborg's one-sided fight with Swifty was inspired by the Teen Titans episode "The End—Part 3", where the teeth of Evil Beast Boy's raptor form couldn't penetrate Cyborg's armor. I decided to give Cyborg the extra time in the fight because he hadn't gotten to fight Chiyu as originally planned—I discuss this more in Chiyu's character profile.

▪ Raven driving the soldier's own sword through his chest started as another accidental Titan death—as in, I forgot they couldn't kill, even nameless minions. However, when I realized this anyway, I left it. Raven was under the influence of her father Trigon at the time, and this shows how dangerous she becomes when he influences her through her anger.

▪ I made a mistake by having Raven chant her mantra while angry. When she loses control, she doesn't use it—this is because her mantra is used to remain calm and control her abilities, while her angry form is the exact opposite of this, raging emotions and unfettered power.

▪ Yes, the Iso Toa's energy dispels Raven's power. This served a lot of narrative purposes, but if you want an in-story explanation of why this happens, I decided to think one up just for you! As mentioned in "The End—Part 2", the Cult of Azar imprisoned Trigon. Their power could nullify his, and they focused their powers into the rings that saved the lives of Slade and the Titans in the episode. Iso's unique energy is his dimension's version of the power of Azar, thus, it dispels Raven's energy, as she gets her power from Trigon.

▪ I love the ending of this chapter, just because it's unusual. It still gives a resolution to the chapter's story, but I like that it shows it from the unique standpoint of supporting characters, letting them find out as you do. Maybe nothing too special, but I'm fond of it at least.

**Chapter 14: Luffy's Day Out—A Pirate Crew In Titan's Tower**

▪ **T**he title of this chapter is a play on two movies—'_Baby's Day Out'_ and _'A Kid in King Arthur's Court.'_ Man, I haven't seen either of those since I was in elementary school probably!

▪ "**Calm down Raven." Terra said. She seemed to swallow a lump in her throat as she continued. "Anybody would get that mad over being betrayed."** Dun dun dun!

▪ Eh, another mistake. Nami acts like she doesn't know what a continent is when Cyborg mentions they're not on an island, but I was mistaken because there _are_ continents in the One Piece world—or at least one, the massive Red Line. In my own defense, it's an easy fact to miss.

▪ Ah yes, Aqualad. The early chapters in both dimensions have a few essentials of both worlds—in the Teen Titans' world, I deemed a visit from an Honorary Titan, a fight with one of the random monsters either Cinderblock, Plasmus or Overload, and a trip to the pizza shop essential.

▪ I seriously wish I could draw. The world needs a picture of the T-Sub with seven new compartments on it.

▪ I just love the entire idea of Luffy loosed upon Jump City. This was one part of the story where I had so many ideas that a ton got cut out for space reasons—such as him Rubber Rocketing through a clothesline and landing in women's clothing that were hanging on the line.

**Chapter 15: The Invitation—Pirates Assist the Law…Just This Once**

▪ **M**y proofreader wasted no time in telling me the absurdity of my entire rocket launcher scenario. Knowing nothing of weapons, he may be right. But let me say that I've never seen anybody in that city ever care about collateral damage before anyway!

▪ Mother mentions that the stone's power is "animating" Tashigi at this point. I insinuated both here and in chapter 21 where she fights Raven that Iso was the one controlling Tashigi's actions through the connector—just thought I'd make it even clearer.

▪ I had just recently begun working at a pizza shop when I wrote this chapter, thus the emphasis on pizzas (though as I mentioned last chapter they _had_ to go to the pizza shop anyway.) However, there are no pizzas with lettuce on them at our store…though if somebody really demanded it I'm sure we could do it!

▪ You know what I never got? In the Titans' show they always got just one pizza then fought over the pieces. With five people, you'd think they'd get at least two or three pizzas—heck, Cyborg can eat that much alone. I decided to be more realistic here.

▪ Why did Plasmus deliver the invitation? Well, Cinderblock would have been too easy for a group of that size to defeat, while Overload only needs to be hit by water—too Dues Ex Machina. At least with Plasmus and Slade's amplification there's a good reason for him being as strong as he is.

▪ **and another swipe-of-hand covered a nearby car with a field of black, hurling it towards the giant pink monster.** And I repeat, nobody notices collateral damage in this city. Does anybody care that Raven has destroyed half the cars in the city? How does she always manage to find abandoned buses (I mention them later in the chapter too)? Eh, I don't care, I find it funny but its food for thought regardless.

**Chapter 16: Slade's Apprentice—Begin the Final Confrontation!**

▪ **T**he first page and a half of this chapter—a dialogue free section that mentions none of the characters by name—is my favorite portion of the story, at least prose-wise. I think it's beautiful and would like to challenge my skills like this more in the future.

▪ Sanji mentions mermen guards, and several other times Usopp mentions how he defeated a merman. While there are mermen and mermaids in the OP world, they should be referring to _fishmen_, the half man half fish powerhouses that are closer to fishes in appearance. The difference is subtle, and most translators miss it or translate it wrong—I only found out the difference very recently.

▪ **A sudden change in the water's current sent the missiles spiraling out of control.** It's implied in the next paragraph that Aqualad was the one who changed the current, but my proofreader later pointed out to me that this sounded misleading—it took him a bit to realize it was Aqualad stopping the missiles, not a natural current. So—now you know. In case you didn't. Knowledge is power.

▪ The flashbacks to Terra's first appearances and her joining the team are taken from the top of my head—at the time I didn't have the episodes at my disposal to translate the flashbacks verbatim. I could now, but the Season 2 DVD was a few months too late.

▪ The end of this chapter was difficult, because I knew exactly what was going on in Terra's mind—but getting it on paper was another thing entirely. I knew this looked rushed and not well-planned at first, and I wanted to at least hint that there would be far more to Terra's betrayal then her just simply changing sides instantly once again. Hopefully I was able to convey both points.

**Chapter 17: Terra vs. Slade—Fallout of a Betrayal**

▪ **I** think the opening segment shows how lost Terra is—she was planning on killing Slade to prove herself to her friends. Fortunately, she's with the Titans for good and finally has the proper guidance.

▪ **The rock Terra had elevated herself upon lurched backwards, affected by the sudden surge of fear coursing through her veins.** Before proofreading I had accidentally used the word carousing instead of coursing, and I thought it was funny when my proofreader asked me why the fear was having a party in her veins.

▪ **You could hear the maniacal genius's muscles stretching as he pulled himself completely upright, his arms hanging limply but his legs tensing. Then—literally out of nowhere—Slade exploded forward into an Olympic level dash.** Anybody remember the short in the Animatrix with the running guy? That's what I picture in this scene. I also wanted to mention that using you referring to the reader in prose is a no-no…not sure why I did it this time.

▪ Notice I show the fates of our heroes in reverse order of how they fight. This was for two reasons: One, so that the chapter ended with the combatants of the next chapter (Beast Boy and Chopper) in focus, and two, to give you readers a hint of the fights to come.

▪ It seems that Nami has a lot more information about Terra than she should, but it's just because—as I hinted and anybody who has read the Arlong Arc of OP knows—Nami was in a very similar situation. She cried as she betrayed the Straw Hats. She knows just what Terra's going through.

▪ Ah yes—the main reason that I decided that Iso's power could nullify Raven's: so that she couldn't just phase right up to Slade and Mother. Sometimes Raven can be a bit overpowered, and while the show just ignores some of her abilities in the situations if they don't want to use them, I wanted a valid reason.

▪ Usopp: "**Bury me here Sanji! Let me have a noble death!"** It was pointed out to me how morbid this sounds, and I guess it is—if one didn't realize that Usopp is constantly saying stuff like this whenever he gets hurt. I guess seeing the expression on his face usually takes away from the morbidness in the manga.

▪ "**You're just an old man!" Beast Boy smiled, a bit of the Titan's true nature returning to him. "What are you going to do, bore us to death with long stories? Blind us with liver spots?" **I laughed out loud when I wrote this. Another one of my favorite lines.

**Chapter 18: Ehedren—The Lean, Mean, Shapeshifting Double Team!**

▪ **I **already know there isn't going to be much to say for this chapter, so I'll just start out by mentioning that this is my favorite fight chapter, hands down. Despite being the least important of the fights I simply loved writing for these characters, and their abilities. Chopper and Beast Boy are truly the power pair of this story.

▪ This chapter actually contains a rather large error—but it wasn't yet known as an error at the time I wrote it! As his recent fight against the CP9 assassin Kumadori showed, Chopper cannot consume more than one Rumble Ball in a row without losing control of his transformations. Yet, in this fight he uses two in a row without any ill effects—as I said, this is because at the time I wrote this chapter this fact had not yet been revealed in the manga. Though it stretches suspension of disbelief, if I had known I would have had the entire battle done within three minutes—one Rumble—so it isn't _too_ hard of a mistake to fix.

▪ I was planning on the second cavern that the Choppers knocked Ivan into to have some signifance in the story, but now I forget what I had planned, and apparently I did in the first place if I did nothing with it. Oh well.

▪ Though this chapter is Chopper's spotlight (and the next chapter Beast Boy's), I tried to make sure it was truly a team battle. Chopper could never hate detected the Ehedren's weakness and destroyed it without Beast Boy's plan and distraction, while Beast Boy could never have flat-out defeated Ivan without Tony's Rumble Ball and the motivation he provided. As I've said repeatedly, they're a good team.

**Chapter 19: Rumble!—The Perfect Union?**

▪ **S**uji (as in Ivan's Suji Suji fruit) means muscle, string, line, stripe, plot, plan, or sinew in Japanese.

▪ I almost included a two or three paragraph flashback to chapter 17, where Chopper launched the first attack against Ivan—so that Beast Boy could get to Terra faster—and was fried for it, when Beast Boy is seething over Tony getting knocked out. I thought it was a powerful scene—but this is also a long enough chapter as it is. The scene was only two chapters ago, so just a reference was more than enough.

▪ Ivan only takes one bite of the Devil's Fruit—and that's all it takes to gain an ability. After the first bite is taken the rest of the fruit becomes just a normal fruit—albeit a nasty one.

▪ I think Ivan's father Ike is an interesting character. Like most of the Iso-jin, he has noble intentions: to get his family away from the horrible island that took his wife from him. But I don't personally think the motive justifies the method he used—not only thievery but much more his treatment and use of his own son—even if it was all for him.

▪ Gangs designated by colors? I'm so unoriginal Though I will say that at the time I used "Gang Green" I wasn't thinking of the Powerpuff Girls reference at all.

▪ I believe I got the name of Rodell—the leader of Ivan's gang—by making a play off of the sporting goods store Modells.

▪ It's implied that Ivan never again removes the Ehedren armor until Chopper destroys it, as it contains his "cursed" power…this leaves an interesting scenario as to Ian's conception, and I'm not totally sure how that could be comfortable myself.

▪ Beast Boy using a Rumble Ball was another one of my early plans, but originally I had intended for the Rumble to unlock the "beast within", AKA Beast Boy's werewolf form that was previously unleashed when he fought Adonis. However, only a short while later it was revealed—in the episode "The End Part 1"—that Beast Boy had learned to access this form at will, so I created another—and in my opinion better—consequence of the Rumble.

▪ The second idea for Beast Boy's Rumble—the mix and match animal parts—was inspired by the TT episode "Winner Take All", where the Master of Games—having absorbed the powers of BB and several other heroes—turned his arm into a snake. I greatly expanded on the simple concept that I liked.

▪ Beast Boy began naming his forms just because I felt like it, mostly. I also decided that since he used Chopper's Rumble Ball—a device from the Shonen Manga—he'd start naming his forms in typical Shonen style. However, I'm not including these "attacks" separately in the Attack List.

▪ "**Density of a blue whale!" the changeling cried.** This maneuver was mostly included as a joke to my proofreader, who had been teasing me a day or two before when I had made some sort of joke about changing something's density.

▪ "**Marvel better not expect any money from that either." The Titan laughed.** Okay…if anybody didn't get that I'm turning my ring around and slapping you.

▪ I killed Ivan for several reasons. First, he was a character I believe was beyond redemption. He had no more reason to live. Second, I think that the way Beast Boy killed him is just plain cool. I never intended for it to be major, but I did want to deal with the aftermath of Beast Boy killing somebody—little did I know there was a similar story in the eighties comics when Beast Boy killed Madam Rogue. I think this dynamic works because Beast Boy is a character who would be truly pained by killing something, whereas you could perhaps see some of the other Titans justifying it (for example, Starfire in the original comics has killed several times and thought nothing of it.)

**Chapter 20: Control—You Can Only Save Yourself**

▪ **S**anji sure doesn't seem smart as he tries to defeat Terra by kicking dirt at her, eh? Eh, even the infatuated cook isn't that dense. He was determined to remain true to his chivalry and try to talk her out of it. Of course, with Slade at the wheels that's quite impossible.

▪ The stone beasts that Terra creates to fight Sanji were obviously based upon the almost identical creatures she created in the episode "Aftershocks Part 1", which this chapter is somewhat rewriting. However, these creatures lack their TV counterparts' regenerative abilities (as Terra is focused on Usopp and not on controlling them) and are much larger instead. I put them in this chapter to give Sanji a chance to shine too (considering his "decisive/pair battle" was against Tank and Swifty). This is mostly Usopp and Terra's battle.

▪ I wanted Usopp to get some fancy new equipment from the Titans' world—hence the Shooting Stars—but at the same time I didn't want to make him seem stupid or backwards. That's why I had him learn to make Ice Stars from his own equipment, with just a little push from Robin. He had the potential, just needed a nudge in the right direction. Usopp really is a genius with weapons.

▪ Promethium—the metal Usopp's Shooting Stars are made of—is DC Comic's version of Admantanium, the metal that lines Wolverine's bones and many other weapons over in the Marvel universe.

**Chapter 21: Magic vs. Magic—The Mysterious Bond**

▪ **Slade actually chuckled. "You misunderstand. I was going to say apprentice, not lover."** This exchange between Slade and Mother was comparing this version of Slade to his comic-book counterpart and inspiration, Slade Wilson/Deathstroke the Terminator, who was lovers with a sixteen year old Terra and suggested to several others, including Starfire, that they'd make great lovers. Lovers were comic Slade's fetish, while apprentices became the television versions.

▪ Tashigi is being controlled by Iso, of course, but with her having a body of flesh he can only focus so much power through her without destroying her body as he did later to Slade and Toa. This is why power can only be focused through different parts for so long—or at least this is the excuse I've created. The narrative reason is that Raven had to be able to actually fight her haha.

▪ Originally I wasn't planning on having "Angry Raven" appear again. The main crux of this chapter was to be Raven's dilemma on how to defeat Tashigi without killing her—or if she even could. However, as I was writing it I found myself frustrated at how none of Raven's effort was doing any good—and realized Raven would be just as aggravated, if not worse because of the stuff with the Iso-jin and Terra. I believe angry Raven adds a more powerful effect to the battle while staying with the main point of the battle.

▪ In the comics, when Raven was called a witch it was an insult. In the show they seem to have incorporated magic into her powers—which I latched onto for this chapter. However, her latent abilities come from Trigon, so she probably learned magic from the Monks of Azarath, with her extreme skill coming from her unique powers.

**Chapter 22: Driven—Zoro vs. Ian, Round Two**

▪ **T**he title of this one reminds me of a VH1 Celebrity show, or something similar to one of those behind the scenes one. It made me laugh.

▪ Ian's "Crimson Blade Strangle" was based off of a _Rurouni Kenshin _technique, Kenshin's "Ryusosen Garami" (or "Dragon's Nest Strike Strangle")—which is essentially the same technique but without the projectile portion.

▪ Though the blood loss for this battle for Zoro is about average, this is the first battle where Zoro's opponent has taken more than one or two attacks and not passed out. Ian took as much damage throughout this battle to show that they're both equally driven. However, I did think I took it a bit overboard, to the point of being distracting.

▪ "**I should have known you'd hide." However, his green eyebrows then arched. "But I'm not some mouse!" **I love this line because it's _just so Zoro._ I…can't explain it any better than that, you just have to know the character.

▪ While Raven's astral projection ability has been used very rarely in the show, it was her main form of attack in the comics, though it operated somewhat differently and had a name—her "Soul Self."

▪ The dialogue of Zoro's flashback came directly from VIZ's translation of the original chapter. I wrote the prose myself but obviously based off the pictures around it. It seems kind of redundant, but Zoro's past needed to be stated in this story, really. It has _everything_ to do with is subplot.

▪ A lot had to be cut from this chapter for simple space reasons. I wish I had made the actual fight longer, so it could be a stand-alone chapter and the flashback could be as well, cause I would have liked to have shown Zoro's encounter with Hawkeye as well as Ian avenging his mother by killing Rodell—which was the original ending of his flashback and got cut back to a simple mention. Then again, to keep it at an even thirty chapters something else would have to have been cut, and I like the slow ending the story had, so my regrets aren't too large.

▪ It's interesting that Ian's flashback is the only one that any of the protagonists actually see. Tank and Swifty, Ivan, and Toa's flashback all only existed in their heads, for the reader to be able to piece together the true story of the Iso-jin as well as why the characters were they way they were.

**Chapter 23: The Survivors—Seeing Through Changed Eyes**

▪ **The ground around them shattered as their attacks hit home; the two swordsmen didn't even notice as they sank into a crater formed by their own destructive force. **As I was stating their final attacks my proofreader said that either they'd soar past each other and one would win or they'd sink into a crater—then laughed out loud as _both_ happened.

▪ The second sequence of this chapter—the meeting of the survivors—is one of my favorite scenes. First, because of some of the great lines (at least in my opinion), such as Beast Boy's breach of the fourth wall. Secondly, I like the advancement in the Terra sub-plot and just the general interaction between the heroes—it's one of the scenes where I was completely satisfied with the dialogue, and it worked to advance plot and character. I'm proud of myself

▪ **Unfortunately, it was far too high for even him to scale.** This line is making fun of the fact that, in the TV show, Robin seems to be able to scale any surface despite of height or anything else that would normally stop him.

▪ **Jumping nimbly backwards, she then ran back to the opening Cyborg had created, bouncing all the way.** This is anime here, there will be bouncing haha. Hey, at least I'm not DOA Volleyball, where the breasts seem to forge their own physics.

▪ In her young body, Mother's appearance is somewhat modeled after One Piece's own Miss Doublefinger—at least the curly hair and curvy figure. Her features would be quite different so as to keep comparisons at a minimum, since they're from the same series.

**Chapter 24: The Final Stage—One Step Ahead in Time**

▪ **M**other's parallel run technique is loosely based on the anime _Escaflowne_, where the protagonist could occasionally see a short amount of time into the future. Of course, that's all I know of the show because I've never watched it.

▪ I know very very little about the "real life" chi, and everything I said was based off what I learned of chi in _Dragonball._ Of course, I tried to avoid the absurd techniques and flying that the series had with chi, if for nothing else to bar comparisons of the two series.

▪ "**Surprised? After all, you have the most strength of any Titan, yet here I am holding you back like you're a baby."** I was surprised when I first learned it too, but Starfire is indeed "stronger" than Cyborg. In "Betrothed" all the Tamaranians use glasses Cyborg can't even lift, and in "Overdrive" she easily lifts weights four times as heavy as his—right next to him. The difference seems to be that he's a much more physically oriented fighter, so his strength is used for combat while Star's is often used to lift or stop heavy objects.

▪ Yoken (as in Mother's Yoken Yoken Fruit) means foresight, foreknowledge, or divination in Japanese.

▪ Seeing as this takes place before Nami has a useful weapon, I was adamant about her doing _something_ useful. If she had actually managed to capture the stone it certainly would have been interesting, though I'm not sure where it would have lead the story at the moment—but I think her pick pocketing _Slade_ of all people and giving Robin the key to victory was useful enough.

▪ Notice Nami never recovers her staff after Slade sends the three portions flying. I was planning on having Nami mention it later and it being more motivation for Usopp building her the Clima Tact, but I forgot completely.

▪ Starfire and Cyborg both reference Star's trip to the future fighting Warp in the episode _'How Long is Forever?'_—a truly moving episode. If not enough motivation for Star's beliefs, I also mention how Tamaranians follow their first instinct, knowing it is the best. This is based off the words of the comic version of Starfire (part of the fantastic issue _'Wednesday'_ from the current TT run), and I realized that the animated version was very similar—just a bit more subtle at it.

▪ My proofreader laughed at them having a philosophical discussion in the middle of battle and being so enraged over opinions, but as I see it, it's nothing to laugh about when those opinions are the very reason the fight was happening—the very reason for this entire story!

▪ **She does not name her attacks like the other ones do, so we cannot tell what she will do, but she knows everything we plan!** No, at the time I actually hadn't made up the reason for Mother's non-use of attack names—that was done on the spot. I didn't give Mother or Iso's attacks names because there would have been so many attacks that it would have been more trouble than it was worth in the end.

**Chapter 25: The Great Power—Fruition of the Manipulation**

▪ "**Don't you know how to tie a knot?" Luffy pointed towards his sandals.** I bet if I bothered to look through the manga somewhere I could find a scene of Luffy finding a knot, but no point in contradicting myself. As far as I know, this stands

▪ Ah yes, Slade finally makes his mad dash for the Great Power. Before I created the Iso-jin, I had intended for Slade to fuse with the Stone and become an amazingly powerful being—lame, I know. I created the Iso-jin story early on and dropped it; however, I decided to still act like that was the intention. I know it's what Slade _wanted_ to do this entire story. I was hoping that if I lead towards that it'd be even more a surprise when Iso popped out—despite the fact that I'd been hinting at him for probably a dozen chapters. I know from comments that at least one reader expected it, so I'm happy. Trying not to make a story obvious is a good thing.

▪ **However, Mother only laughed. "Are you going to object to my every opinion?"** This was poking fun at my proofreader's comments I mentioned in the last chapter (no offense meant though bro of course, you were a lifesaver!)

▪ Visually, Iso is modeled after Magneto from the X-Men. I hesitated about giving him white hair—as it seems very cliché—but I couldn't picture Iso without it.

▪ Iso was very difficult to find "other names" for—while I can find many names to call Luffy (rubberman, pirate, etc.) or one of the others, I could only really think of one or two for Iso, and they got repeated a lot—and that's after I changed a ton of them! In my first draft, I used the word "powerhouse" to describe him so often that it's become an inside joke between my proofreader and I.

▪ "**You all look as if you have been attacked by a pack of angry Flemshires!"** The writers of the _Teen Titans_ animated series named many of Starfire's Tamaranian names after members of the staff, as jokes or sometimes revenge even. Unfortunately, most of the time I pulled gibberish names because the names of my friends were too common to make good Tamaranian terms. However, Flemshires worked—it's a nickname we've given to a mixed family my group is friends with. Darn good people.

▪ Konki (as in Iso's Konki Konki Fruit) means patience, perseverance, or energy in Japanese. Not as perfect of a fit as the others, but it was the best energy word to work as a Devil Fruit name.

▪ This was the hardest chapter to write just because I needed a ton of exposition to string the _entire story_ together _and_ make sure people knew there was more to Iso then I was letting on as he first appeared. Then I threw in a great fight scene to even it out, and it ended up being huge—but I'm proud of it anyway.

▪ While the giant battle was—obviously—mainly to show Iso's prodigious strength, it also served an equally important task: to reunite the tattered heroes! I made sure that it wasn't just a battle, that it showed the interaction and bonds between our heroes. It's one of my favorite battles.

▪ **It's hard to trap a shapeshifter. I shrank down to a gopher and dug under the wall. **Okay, I took that from the comics—namely, where Beast Boy fought Terra in a training session gone horribly wrong in the classic "Judas Contract" storyline of the eighties' "New Teen Titans." (A classic, I must add. Go read it, it's like twenty bucks in trade paperback.)

▪ Of all the interaction in the final battle, my favorite has to be when Raven lights Sanji's cigarette after he breaks his own leg in order to destroy Iso's armor. As much as she's annoyed with him—and constantly snuffing out his smokes—I thought it was touching for her to show a little begrudging respect after his selfless actions.

**Chapter 26: The Man Who Almost Had Everything—The Rise and Fall of Iso and Toa**

▪ **Y**ou all should go back and check out this chapter again—I re-uploaded it with a quote from the Pirate King himself before the chapter. I wanted this when I first wrote it—it shows exactly why Roger would have beef with Iso heehee—but couldn't find a decent translation of the quote (most fan translations of early chapters suck), until like a week after I wrote this when I bought Volume 12 in English. So yeah, it's like the chapter's director's cut, cause it's what I wanted from the start.

▪ I'm sure there are major faults in the timeline if I want them to coincide with Gold Roger, but considering how much future developments can change things, I'm not even going to try to attempt to sync at the moment.

▪ **_A smile of pure pleasure crossed her face. "I'm up to _anything_, as long as it is by your side."_** Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww

▪ Yes, Iso _has_ a past and a back story—see his character profile for more on that. Knowing the details wasn't essential for the already crowded flashback at all—I think I suggested more than enough for you, the readers, to put together the pieces yourselves from Iso's statements.

▪ Another big problem with writing this chapter was not knowing Roger's abilities or techniques. All we know about him is that his power is most definitely incomparable with any yet seen in the series. I'm sure he could defeat Iso without "cheating", but a most fitting "end" to Iso was having his own attack reflected upon him—something I'm positive somebody of Roger's stature could accomplish. It sure was hard to work this around the unknown though.

▪ "_**Fortunately, fate has chosen a cruel fate for you Doubting Thomases."** _A Biblical expression? Well, since the pirate Bartholomew Bear carries a Bible of some sort, I don't think I'm too far off in Toa knowing the expression.

▪ And finally this chapter secures Slade's true position in this story—the wild card. What I find ironic is that the Iso-jin aren't really evil, often just misguided or plain selfish, yet they're the main enemies and the force that needs to be brought down. Meanwhile, Slade is evil incarnate with no redeeming qualities yet he helps our heroes in the end. It's a pretty cool situation—man Slade's cool.

▪ Slade: **"That was only a flesh wound compared to some of the things I've been through."** Nobody defeats the Black Knight!...Meanwhile, if you've never seen _Monty Python and the Holy Grail…_shame on you. Go rent it.

**Chapter 27: Weaknesses—Fight Against Time and Power!**

▪ **T**his chapter has several comparisons that are a bit absurd—such as **"despite rotating fast enough to juice the world's largest radish"**—and despite what anybody says I think they're cool—in a totally nerdy way.

▪ **Luffy flew as if launched from a medieval catapult.** Cue Family Guy cutaway Like that time Peter spent Meg's college funds on that medieval catapult.

▪ **Grinning, Robin slashed the weapon in front of him before pulling it behind his back, and pointing his other arm forward with two fingers outstretched.** Robin is imitating the awesome '_Watojutsu'_ battle pose of Yukishiro Enishi from _Rurouni Kenshin._

▪ When Iso stabs Robin in the shoulder, my proofreader said he should have just killed him. Eh, my intentions weren't that Iso deliberately kept him alive, it was that Robin was able to skillfully dodge a fatal blow.

▪ Though Robin uses Escrima Sticks in the show, he either just poses with them or hits his opponent like they're _only_ a small staff. In this chapter Robin uses them as they're intended—with the martial art style of _Escrima._ In the comics, Nightwing—the original Robin, Dick Grayson, all grown up—fights with Escrima style, while the current Robin Tim Drake fights with a bo-staff. It's been said by the show's creators that the show's Robin is an amalgam of traits from all three comic Robins.

▪ Rubber not conducting electricity is bending physics quite a bit, I know. But I'm only going by the laws of the One Piece world—later in the series Luffy fights an enemy capable of producing electricity, and is the only person in the world able to defeat him because—being rubber—he's invulnerable to electricity. If you want to blame somebody, blame Oda :P

▪ The two chi blasts Toa managed to tag Slade with wounded him in the exact same places that Trigon's axe-wielding guard wounded skeleton-Slade in the TV show. Fun fact of the day.

▪ "**Fool," Slade growled. "Fate doesn't control our lives. I've gotten as far as I've gotten because of _my _efforts—nobody else's!" **Best Slade line of the entire story, hands down.

▪ **an answer to his frantic prayer that Slade's advanced system would _have_ an USB port. **This is another inside joke with my proofreader—so I guess it's only funny to us, huh?

▪ **_Cunning is a power all its own, and it's one a power-obsessed freak like Iso could never appreciate!_** There you have it, the theme of the chapter in a nutshell.

▪ Though is would be obvious that he was unhappy, I was still upset that there wasn't really space to address Iso's feelings over being trapped within a stone for decades. That's why, as I imagined Iso trying to do the same to Luffy, we went into his hateful monologue. Perfectly understandable feelings, actually.

**Chapter 28: Clash!—It All Comes Tumbling Down**

▪ **I** had a hard time at first thinking of a reason for Iso to create the sword and armor—then I came up with the, in my opinion, brilliantly logical explanation of him covering his weaknesses. And then it hit me that of course he should fight back with the Eehuah—heck, this gave me a great final scene for Luffy instead of finishing Iso with one or two attacks after weakening him! Before I decided this it would have been far too anticlimactic.

▪ Several of Iso's sword-techniques are based off of Kenshin's fighting style. See if you can figure out which ones!

▪ The attack combination Luffy used to finish Iso seemed rather overkill, and I tend to agree—but I had thought up the awesome combo and didn't want to waste it. Besides, it served to show just how strong Iso's will was in the end—even without his power he still endured enough to destroy most super-powered opponents by the pure faith! Of course, like all of the Iso-jin it was misguided faith, and that was his fatal flaw.

▪ **As black leaked from beneath the Titan's cloak she put her hand on Starfire's shoulder. "—and Starfire, I'm going to need you to call the Ba—"** Yes, Raven was going to have Starfire call the Batman himself. Just shows how desperate the situation was. It was almost the first time the Dark Knight's name was spoken aloud in the series!

▪ Yeah, Robin was Luffy's inspiration for the powerful Rubber Storm technique—which proved to be quite useful against a certain enemy later ;) Consider it an extra goodbye gift.

**Chapter 29: Celebration!—Soothing the Scars of Battle**

▪ **T**he idea of the Titans having a pie fight came from a line in the Teen Titans comic where Miss Martian mentioned how she pied Ravager in the face after seeing it on television. Of course, nothing ever came of that—besides Ravager trying to kill her—but it hit me as a fun thing these maniacs might do.

▪ Just like the group fight in Chapter 13, the volleyball game was difficult, not because of the action, but because of the teams. It literally took me like a half an hour to decide on teams: it was the second time in this story I needed scrap paper for notes.

▪ After rereading the recent string of fights at Enies Lobby in the One Piece manga, I noticed that, although Chopper in his "Monster Point" destroyed an entire town, he apparently didn't kill a single person in it. I'm ignoring that, as it's just plain unrealistic (in a manga?! No!) I've already contradicted the manga enough where a detail here or there doesn't matter.

▪ I love the scene with Raven and Zoro learning about each other. However, let me clear up some sad ambiguity—this is ALL that happened. Raven isn't the type of girl to go ahead with anything more than that—considering her powers go out of control with her emotions, I don't even think Raven _can_ have sex—without massive property and mate damage at orgasm, at least. Get your head out of the gutters, this scene in the story is entirely clean

▪ What _is_ Nami going to do with Cyborg's money back on the Grand Line? Beast me—I think she just won it for the fun of it.

**Chapter 30: Epilogue—A Friendship That Spans All**

▪ **I** didn't figure out how they would return to their respective worlds until this chapter, with the exception of knowing Raven's powers would be involved. To me, it was never that important—this story is one of those "the journey is more important than the destination" stories.

▪ **Beast Boy scratched his head. "Wait a second," he said, confused. "I didn't know Semisonic was Tamaranian!"** I quoted the song _'Closing Time'_ by Semisonic because its lyrics were perfect for this chapter. It is my all-time second favorite song—only beaten by the terrific _'21 and Invincible'_ by Something Corporate.

▪ Originally I had planned for Ian to stay behind in the Titans' world and train with the True Master—the old woman who trained Robin in the episode _"The Quest."_ However, I realized that it defied his mother's philosophy—and therefore his whole backstory and personality. He needed to return and save that island!

▪ I wish Starfire had been able to see Tank and Swifty's return, but unfortunately there was just no way to fit it in. Maybe when they meet again…

▪ The scene with Buggy and Alvida was simply a wacky way to admit a mistake I made. Smoker, in this story, said he had caught the two, then unleashed them against Luffy and company to test their strength. Yet, in the manga the two pirates escaped from Smoker in Loguetown—were never caught! I had this fact mixed up when I wrote chapter 4, and this is my way of admitting it.

▪ This is the first time I really like the way I wrote Smoker. Smoker is a man who follows his own justice, and in early chapters I feel I played him too much as a pure evil villain, which he's _far_ from. Oh well. Live and learn. Then get Luvs.

▪ Obviously, Slade's death and resurrection by Trigon was to tie this into the show's continuity—where Slade was resurrected by Trigon after being killed by Terra instead of Iso. I do hope I had some people fooled though—Slade is an awesome character and fun to string people along with.

▪ Notice when the trouble alert went off that it was the H.I.V.E. attacking—in the show, the H.I.V.E. lead by Brother Blood was the next major threat after Terra and I just decided to make a nod to continuity.

▪ I have no idea if I'm going to write a sequel to this or not, but I figured I certainly left enough slack for myself to easily write one if I get a really good idea. Whether or not I write a sequel, definitely expect another story from me at some point, though I'm still debating storylines and ideas.

**Character Biographies and Attack List**

**Monkey D. Luffy:**

Born in the small village of Windmill on the East Blue Sea, Luffy grew up admiring the great pirate, Red-Haired Shanks. When Luffy was almost eaten by a sea-monster, Shanks sacrificed his arm to save the boy and entrusted Luffy with his beloved Straw Hat. Determined to one day meet his idol once again and return the hat, Luffy trained the abilities of his Rubber Rubber Fruit for ten years before taking sail as captain of the Straw-Hat pirates in order to form a crew and chase the greatest treasure of all time—the One Piece!

Luffy is perhaps a fighting genius, but he's dumb as a rock in all other regards. In spite of this—or perhaps because of it—Luffy's almost always happy, and is a very outgoing, fun-loving person in general. However, he cares deeply for his friends and won't hesitate to fight anybody who harms them! Also, because of his unique outlook on life Luffy often views situations different than the others, usually providing a refreshing take on situations. This also makes him quite good at motivating others. His Devil's Fruit ability turned his body into rubber, and Luffy uses this to great advantage, stretching, inflating, and reflecting his way to victory!

Luffy is the main character of One Piece, so the story required a good bit of time to be spent on him—unfortunately, he was one of the harder characters for me to find a voice for. This is probably the reason why, though many chapters highlighted the character, he often wasn't in the group scenes much—though I noticed this later as an afterthought. One thing I decided about Luffy was that Iso would be _his_ enemy—he always fights to protect others (Fought Arlong to save Nami, fought Crocodile to save Vivi, fought Lucchi to save Nico Robin, etc.), and I thought it was time for him to have an enemy he wanted to fight for his _own_ reasons. All in all though, Luffy's a fun character to write for and I wouldn't hesitate to use him again, perhaps getting a better idea just exactly how to handle him.

**Luffy's Attacks:**

**Rubber Rocket** Chapter 1, 3, 6, 14, 23, 28: Luffy throws one or two arms backwards to extend them, throws them forward, then grabs a stationary object. When they snap back to normal size he is propelled like a rocket, and usually can't stop himself. His main mode of transportation.

**Rubber Shot** Chapter 1: An elongated kick. An attack given the wrong name by me. Should be "Rubber Stamp."

**Rubber Corkscrew** Chapter 1: Securing himself, Luffy literally turns himself into a giant corkscrew and sends an opponent flying. Very similar to the Rubber Mallet. I made up this technique.

**Rubber Whip **Chapter 6, 7, 26, 28: Luffy's elongated leg spins and connects for a horizontal lashing kick, like a whip.

**Rubber Pistol** Chapter 6, 7, 15, 25, 27, 28, 29: Luffy's favorite technique, he sends one fist flying far backwards and then it snaps forward for a powerful elongated punch.

**Rubber Sickle **Chapter 6, 28: Luffy grabs onto a far object with an elongated arm. He extends his other arm and clotheslines an entire group of opponents as his arm retracts.

**Rubber Gattling **Chapter 7, 13, 25, 27, 28: Luffy throws elongated punches so quickly that it creates the illusion of hundreds of arms attacking. Can be used effectively against a group or a single opponent.

**Rubber Stamp **Chapter 7, 14, 25, 27, 28: An elongated kick. The treads on Luffy's sandals leave a stamp-like impression on the opponent's face.

**Rubber Grand Mallet **Chapter 7, 25: Entwining the opponent in his coiled rubber legs, Luffy spins through the air and piledrives them into the ground.

**Rubber Bell **Chapter 7, 28: Throwing his head backwards, Luffy stretches his neck. His retracting neck sends his head forward for a devastating headbutt. The attack is named after the bell-like sound it makes when it lands.

**Rubber Shield **Chapter 7: Luffy stretches his fingers across his face, forming a shield.

**Rubber Chomp **Chapter 7, 27: Luffy stretches his jaw and chomps down, either biting with incredible force of stuffing his entire opponent within his rubber mouth.

**Rubber Bazooka **Chapter 7, 25, 28: A popular finishing move, Luffy stretches both arms behind himself. As they snap he hits his opponent with both hands, palms open, the force usually sending them flying out of sight.

**Rubber Balloon **Chapter 8, 12, 17, 27: Inhaling air, Luffy inflates his body like a balloon, and flies uncontrollably as he deflates.

**Rubber Propeller **Chapter 8, 28: Spinning like a top, Luffy's elongated arms continually slap the opponent. I created this attack.

**Rubber Buffet Line **Chapter 14: Luffy performs a Rubber Gattling, but with his hands open, grabbing as much food as he can and stuffing it into his mouth. A joke attack I made up.

**Rubber Bullet **Chapter 14, 27, 28: Luffy throws his arm backwards like Rubber Pistol, but instead of throwing it forward lets it hit point blank as his arm snaps back to its normal size. Sometimes he grabs his arm with his other hand to add extra oomph.

**Rubber Slingshot **Chapter 15: Luffy stretches his arm back, and uses the momentum of it snapping into place to launch an ally to a destination. I created this attack.

**Rubber Axe **Chapter 15, 28: Luffy throws one leg far over his head into the air. It snaps down and decimates whatever it lands on. Especially useful for destroying buildings, it's one of Luffy's most powerful attacks.

**Rubber Spear **Chapter 25, 27: Luffy puts the bottom of his feet together and throws them in to a very powerful elongated kick.

**Rubber Roller Coaster **Chapter 25: Luffy contorts his malleable body into an impossible position, attacking from an unexpected angle. I created this technique.

**Rubber Fireworks **Chapter 25, 27: Leaping into the air, Luffy spins and sends his arms and legs soaring in all directions so fast that it looks like there are dozens of them—essentially an upgrade of his Rubber Gattling.

**Rubber Buzzsaw **Chapter 27: Luffy grabs a target with two elongated arms, then begins spinning his body like a buzzsaw. His arms retract and send him soaring into his opponent.

**Rubber Comet **Chapter 27, 28: Pushing off from a ceiling or wall, Luffy spins through the air with tremendous force, his body spiraling and stretching behind him like a shooting star. Causes pure devastation, like a true comet strike. I created this attack.

**Rubber Super Bouncy Ball **Chapter 27: Luffy contorts his body, tying himself tightly into a ball. The more he bounces the more speed—and power—he gains. I made this attack up, inspired by the super bouncy ball I was bouncing at the time

**Rubber Hook **Chapter 27: Luffy's arm curls into an elongated hook punch.

**Rubber Ripcord **Chapter 27: With his elongated arms curled around his opponent like a cocoon, Luffy's arm retracts and sends his enemy spinning. I created this attack.

**Rubber Pistol Shot **Chapter 27: Luffy launches his signature Rubber Pistol attack, but then strums his elongated arm like a guitar string—turning his punch into a miniature version of the Rubber Gattling.

**Rubber Catapult **Chapter 27: Luffy throws both arms backwards, and when they snap back into place he uses the momentum to launch an large object or objects forward. I created this attack.

**Rubber Bow Gun** Chapter 28: Luffy attaches himself to his opponent, then winds up his body. He lets go, unwinding until he hits the opponent with his head, sending all the pent up momentum into his enemy and sending him soaring into the air.

**Rubber Spring **Chapter 28: Luffy inhales air, inflating himself, then winds himself into a giant bloated spring. Unleashing the air, he spirals through the sky so fast he becomes a blur. A predecessor to perhaps Luffy's most powerful technique—the Rubber Storm. I created this attack, though I stole the idea from the Rubber Storm.

**Roronoa Zoro:**

As a young boy, Zoro traveled from dojo to dojo, defeating them with his two sword style until he came to one particular temple, where he found his match in Kuina, the sensei's daughter. She bested the boy 2001 times, but still despaired because she was a girl, and would eventually grow weak. Zoro declared that gender had nothing to do with it and that he would beat her because he was better, not because she was a girl! That night they both promised to become the best swordsman in the world—the next morning, Kuina was dead. Taking her sword as his own, Zoro began his journey to become the best there was!

Zoro's entire purpose in life is to become the best swordsman in the world, and to that extent he spends the majority of his time training. When he isn't training he's sleeping, and he can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and sleep through almost anything. He's very gruff and blunt, his honesty often making him the target of other crewmates. He also has absolutely no sense of direction. Zoro fights with _santoryu_, or three sword style, where he holds one sword in each hand and one in his mouth, though he also knows many techniques in the two and one sword styles.

This guy is definitely one of my favorites. As the resident badass of One Piece, he's meant to look cool, especially in battle, and I hope I pulled that off. Despite this status, he's also the guy some of the most ridiculous stuff happens to—I thought the Ian story showcased this well. Also, I intended for Ian and Zoro to be a parallel of each other, perfect rivals. His backstory is one of my favorites, hence why it's featured so prominently. Unfortunately, Zoro is perhaps my least favorite to write fight scenes for—I never realized how difficult _Santoryu_ would be! Maybe if I had set this later in the story and had access to more of his techniques…but that's an afterthought.

**Zoro's Attacks:**

**Oni Giri **Chapter 5, 21, 22, 25, 29: Zoro's signature technique, he leans low, crosses his arms and releases them for a crossing slash. I used it incorrectly as a charging strike in chapter 5. Means "Demon Cutter" when translated from Japanese, also a pun on the Japanese word for "Rice Ball".

**Demonic Cross **Chapter 5: A wrongly named "Tou Rou Nagashi". See that attack.

**Tora Gari **Chapter 13, 22, 25: Holding his two swords into the air with their backs on the back of the sword in his mouth, Zoro slashes downwards with the two swords then across with the one, leaving a 'H' shaped scar. Translates to "Tiger Hunting."

**Tatsumaki **Chapter 15, 22: Holding a sword to each side, Zoro spins fiercely, leaving scars up and down the enemy if they are within range and creating a powerful whirlwind regardless. Translates to Dragon Coil or Dragon Twister.

**Karasumagari **Chapter 21, 25: Using all three swords, Zoro swings into a succession of slashes that spiral around his body like a sphere.

**Ushibari **Chapter 22: Zoro points the two swords in his hands forward and drives into a relentless series of thrusts. Translates to "Bull Charge"

**Tou Rou Nagashi **Chapter 22, 25: Zoro counters his opponent's attack—usually inexplicably—then dashes behind them. The slashes he leaves behind explode open a few moments later. Tied with the Tatsumaki as my favorite Zoro technique.

**Takanami **Chapter 22: Slashing with his two swords, Zoro creates small silver waves that act as projectile attacks. Translates to "Hawk Wave."

**Washi Tsume Kushi **Chapter 23: Taking a stance where his arms are extended above his crouched body in a v-shape, Zoro spins the two swords in his hand into a blur and dashes forward, leaving spiraling scars up and down his opponent as he flies behind them. Roughly translates to "Eagle Talon Slash". I created this technique.

**Nami:**

As a baby, Nami and her sister Nojiko were found in the wreckage of battle by the female Marine, Bellemere. She adopted the two as her own and took them to Cocoyashi Village, where they lived happily until Arlong and his fishmen pirates invaded. Arlong demanded a large sum of money from each citizen, and the poor Bellemere only had enough money to either pay for herself or for her children. She chose the children, and was shot in the head in front of Nami. Nami decided to work for Arlong, in order to buy back the village. When she was just mere berries short of her goal, Arlong called in a corrupt Marine to take Nami's money away. It was at this point the girl broke down, and Luffy stepped in to defeat the cruel fishman and free Nami once and for all!

Nami is a natural cartographer and navigator, and because of this can also predict the weather with almost a sixth sense. Her years of working for Arlong have made her an adept thief, able to go without notice and pickpocket even the most alert of people. All the focus on money has also made her quite greedy, and she won't hesitate to cheat or manipulate anybody to make a buck—in fact, she's an expert at twisting situations to her advantage. She knows the basics of fighting with her collapsible staff to assist with her thieving, but she prefers to let others fight for her. Eventually Usopp creates the Clima-Tact for her, which uses her knowledge of weather to become a deadly weapon!

I had a lot of problems finding a spot for Nami. Being the most intelligent of the pirates, she was used for a lot of exposition, and for angry bursts towards the others, but her spot in the story was still unclear. I teamed her as Cyborg's friend, and though I underplayed it a lot I think it worked. I loved their discussion on stealing in chapter 10, and their rivalry in chapter 29 was perfect for stringing the other subplots together. Perhaps she would have been easier to write for if she had the Clima-Tact, but then again I really don't know who I would have had her fight!

**Usopp:**

Usopp is the proud son of the world-class sniper Yasopp, a member of Shanks' pirate crew. When his father left to travel with his crew, Usopp began pretending that his father was coming home every day in order to cheer up both himself and his sick mother. Eventually his mother died, and the boy's lying became even worse until he was able to focus his time on cheering up Kaya, a sick heiress. However, Kaya's butler Klahadore was in fact the famed pirate Captain Kuro, and after teaming with the Straw Hats to save her life, Usopp set sail to become a true, brave pirate!

A compulsive liar and a coward, Usopp is constantly fighting against his true nature in order to become brave and deserve his place with these strong pirates. He's slowly becoming braver than anybody thinks. His aim is perfect, and he almost never misses a target—quite a feat for only using a slingshot! Usopp's also quite an inventor, constantly coming up with new and inventive ammunition. He cares deeply for the ship, seeing as it was a present from Kaya, and is usually the one to repair it when damaged.

Usopp is another hard one to write fights for, as I'm not nearly as inventive as he is. So instead, I eventually decided that his words would accomplish a lot more. Terra truly looks like Kaya, and when I realized that things just went off from there. I'm awfully happy with the way his subplot turned out, but some day I'd love to write a fight scene where his true genius and sniping skills are put forefront! As you can probably tell I have a lot of respect for Usopp, and I wish more people did too.

**Usopp's attacks **Note: All of Usopp's attacks were wrongly ended with "shot" instead of "Star" in early chapters, and I'm ignoring that in my attack list

**Rotten Egg Star **Chapter 2, 20: Usopp fires a rotten egg. Largely a joke attack, it can be successfully used to impede an opponent's sense of smell.

**Explosive/Gunpowder Star **Chapter 3, 13, 20: Usopp fires a projectile of gunpowder. A good, basic attack.

**Pachinko Star** Chapter 4, 25: Usopp fires a pachinko, a marble-like object used in Japanese gambling. Usopp's first attack, it's often just a distraction.

**Ketchup Star **Chapter 6: Usopp uses packets of ketchup either to fake bloody injuries or to leave a messy trap for enemies to trip on.

**Usopp Counterattack **Chapter 13: Falling below an attack, Usopp swings his hammer into the opponent's knee as a counterattack, usually downing them and leaving them open for a more damaging attack.

**Fire Star **Chapter 15, 25: Usopp fires a projectile that bursts into flames upon contact.

**Caltrop Hell **Chapter 15: Usopp releases a storm of Caltrops (spiky projectiles similar to jacks)—he usually leaves them on the ground for the opponent to run on and hurt their feet.

**Cactus Star **Chapter 20: Usopp fires a projectile that splits into dozens of tiny sharp shards that shred into an opponent.

**Shooting Stars** Chapter 20, 25: Usopp fires a large, boomerang or L shaped projectile that separates into a dozen razor-bladed weapons as it soars towards the opponent. Made of unbreakable promethium metal, it was a gift from Robin. I made up this technique.

**Smoke Star **Chapter 20, 25: Usopp fires from his slingshot or simply litters the ground with projectiles that explode into balls of smoke on contact, providing cover for escape or further attacks.

**Ice Star **Chapter 20: Usopp fires a luminescent white-blue arrow. It freezes its target on contact; if it penetrates the target it can usually even freeze them from the inside out! Though Robin taught Usopp the basics of freezing, Usopp discovered how to make these from his own resources. I made up this technique.

**Usopp's Grappling Belt** Chapter 23, 25: Usopp puts on a gaudy belt with a grappling hook attached to its front. Useful for climbing short distances but not for swinging, as the line cannot detach from the belt.

**Habanero Pepper Star **Chapter 25: Usopp shoots a habanero pepper—one of the hottest peppers known to mankind—down his opponent's throat, hopefully immobilizing them. I upgraded this from Usopp's canon Jalapeno Star after being informed that aren't _that_ spicy (could have fooled me, stupid spicy food.)

**Pie Star **Chapter 29: Usopp shoots a pie from his slingshot. A joke attack created by me.

**Usopp Hammer **Chapter 29: Usopp hits his opponent with his hammer, often multiple times.

**Sanji:**

Sanji spent his childhood on a passenger ship training to become a chef. One day they were invaded by the famed pirate _Red Leg Zeff_. Sanji stood up to the pirate, and he begrudgingly began to respect the boy when he realized they both shared the same dream of finding the fabled ocean _All Blue_. Suddenly a storm wrecked the ship, and the two were stranded together. Sanji was angry because Zeff took a huge bag of food and left him very little, but he changed his tune when he realized that the bag only contained treasure—he had given Sanji all the food and instead eaten his own leg! Rescued at the brink of starvation, the two founded the Baratie restaurant and vowed to feed all those hungry, no matter who they were. Sanji remained there as a head chef as a favor to Zeff until Luffy showed up!

Sanji considers himself very chivalrous, feeding all those hungry and vowing never to lay a finger on a woman. In fact, whenever he sees a pretty woman he goes totally gaga, a trait Nami often uses to her advantage. Despite this, Sanji is one of the more intelligent Straw Hats and while the others are fighting, he often finds an alternative solution to the problem. However he can still fight well, attacking only with his feet so as to save his hands for cooking. His legs have the power to leap over buildings and kick through stone—he also has perfect balance and no problem contorting his legs at any angle. Sanji is also a chain smoker.

I think Sanji was one of the characters I did quite well on—perhaps almost perfectly in character…though I hate to ever claim that lest somebody prove me wrong. I did decide to take a risk and advance his chivalrous side, though, with his decision to let Starfire be happy with Robin instead of pursuing her himself. Despite Sanji's female-induced insanity I can actually see him doing this in the right situation and…it's a direction that I really like.

**Sanji's attacks:**

**Concasse **Chapter 6, 12, 20, 25: Sanji somersaults through the air, planting his heel atop the opponent's head as he lands.

**Reception **Chapter 6: Standing on one leg, Sanji slips the top of his foot behind his opponent's neck and drives his face into the ground. Named after the receptionist at a restaurant.

**Anti-Manners Kick Course **Chapter 12, 20: Balancing on one leg, Sanji extends his other leg parallel to his body at a 90 degree angle, delivering a deadly kick to a target above him. One of his signature—and most powerful—techniques.

**Mouton Shoot **Chapter 12, 20: Sanji's most famous technique, it is a single kick delivered so fast that the leg becomes a blur. All of Sanji's power is focused into his leg as he delivers the finisher.

**Flaming Mouton Shoot **Chapter 12: A combination technique with Starfire. Sanji charges, and Starfire shoots him with a full-power Starbolt. He is set on fire and shot past his opponent's defenses, delivering a devastating Mouton Shoot that delivers the power of his leg and the Starbolt all in one kick.

**Nouilles Amarrons **Chapter 20: Sanji holds one leg in the air and it goes limp. He lashes it about like a wet noodle, slapping away multiple targets. It means "noodle lash" in French. I created this technique.

**Bukutereeri Shuuto **Chapter 20: Sanji plants both of his feet into the opponent's chin, snapping its chin into the air. Means "mixed vegetable shot" in French.

**Aveugle Rendevous Piler **Chapter 20: A kick with both legs. Several moments pass before the full, explosive effects of finisher attack take full effect. Means "Blind Date Crush" in French. I created this attack.

**SanjCho Quasi Queue Shuuto **Chapter 25: A combination attack with Tony Tony Chopper. Sanji leaps into the hands of Chopper's Human Point, and the reindeer uses his tremendous strength to hurl the chef. Sanji spins through the air before focusing all that momentum into one devastating kick.

**Tony Tony Chopper:**

From birth Chopper was a freak, as he was the only reindeer in his tribe with a blue nose. Things became worse when he ate the Human Human fruit, which mutated him so far that he became an outcast both to reindeer and human. The only man to accept him was the quack doctor, Hiliruk! Their home of the Drum Kingdom was under the rule of a cruel tyrant Wapol, who had banished all doctors. Hiliruk had gone into hiding, and knowing he was sick and his time was short decided to try to heal the country through the source of its problems. In the confrontation with Wapol he had the doctor surrounded, and Hiliruk blew himself up to prove a point to the jaded ruler. Chopper lost everything he had until he was taken by the only true doctor left in Drum, Kureha, who taught him true healing skills. Chopper hopes to one day create the cure to all diseases that he couldn't find to save Hiliruk. However, he was still weary of humans, until he finally felt accepted with Luffy's crew!

Chopper is very naïve and gullible, both because of his sheltered upbringing and the fact that he's, well…a reindeer. He even believes Usopp's outlandish stories, making the two fast friends. Despite the lack of experience Chopper is a very skilled doctor, and was even able to create the Rumble Ball medicine which allows him to take his shapeshifting skills to the next level. Being half-reindeer, he can also speak to animals.

Another favorite of mine, Chopper is a large part of the reason this story even exists. His voice is hard to find sometimes, but it was the similarities between him and Beast Boy that inspired _The Ultimate Cruise,_ and I used that to my advantage as I wrote the scenes with the two. The fight between the two and Ivan is my favorite in the story…and I wouldn't change a thing with Chopper.

**Chopper's attacks:**

**Roseo Colonnade** Chapter 6: In his Horn Point, Chopper charges through a crowd thrashing his six-foot antlers in all directions. It means "Row of Cherry Trees" in Japanese.

**Kokute Roseo **Chapter 15, 18: In his Arm Point, Chopper lands an insanely powerful punch that leaves an imprint of his hoof—shaped like a cherry blossom leaf—in his opponent.

**Scope **Chapter 15, 18: Used on Brain Point (half human half reindeer), under the influence of the Rumble Ball. Chopper puts his hooves together and looks through the space between them. This brings up a full diagram of the opponent and, after a few moments, allows Chopper to determine their fatal weakness.

**Kokute Roseo Kachuu **Chapter 18: Combination attack with Beast Boy. The two both transform to Chopper's Jumping Point, using their superhuman legs to hurl themselves into a dizzying spin—switching to Arm Point at the last second, they deliver a punch with all their momentum behind them, sending the enemy spinning off. Kachuu means vortex in Japanese.

**Kokute Cross **Chapter 18: In Arm Point, Chopper positions his wrists together, his hooves in the shape of an X. He then strikes his opponent in the chest, leaving an 'X' shaped indentation in them. At this point it is his strongest technique.

**SanjCho Quasi Queue Shuuto **Chapter 25: A combination attack with Sanji. Sanji leaps into the hands of Chopper's Human Point, and the reindeer uses his tremendous strength to hurl the chef. Sanji spins through the air before focusing all that momentum into one devastating kick.

**Robin:**

A natural acrobat, Robin's parents were circus performers and trained him to follow in their footsteps until their untimely demise. The boy was taken in by the legendary Batman and trained as a detective, and in all styles of martial arts. He served as the vigilante's sidekick for several years, all the while honing his impressive skills, until a falling out between the two led to Robin leaving Gotham City for the West Coast, where a chance encounter led to the forming of the Teen Titans!

Robin is a natural leader, as well as a skilled acrobat, detective, marital artist and inventor. Determined to surpass his mentor, he drives himself hard to free the city from crime, and sometimes can go overboard in his efforts, especially when Slade is involved. Robin is fearless and gung-ho, taking on foes many times his size as if they were flies. Although Robin can be mellow and have some fun, he is never as goofy as his teammates, and he still has a way to go before he can really open up and take things less seriously. In addition to hand-to-hand, Robin fights with a bo-staff, escrima sticks, Redbird boomerangs that can combine into a sword, explosive, electric and freezing disks, and whatever other inventions his mind can create!

I've never like the main characters as much as some of the supporting ones and this proves true for Robin as well (though as a testament to the greatness of TT and OP, there isn't a main character in either series that I don't love). However, he proved rather easy to write, especially in a story with so much Slade. Actually, I had a lot of fun with the Robin and Slade dynamic, until the time came for Robin to learn something. Characters don't go through a story without change, and Robin can't be an exception. I realized that Luffy and Robin would have completely different views on the death of Slade (Luffy's apathy vs. Robin being unable to let go), and decided to go with that dynamic. My favorite part of _that_ was, although Robin finally learned to let go, Slade won't let him. That makes me feel sorry for the kid.

**Starfire:**

Princess of the far-away planet Tamaran, Starfire was captured by the Gordanians as a present to their leader, the Citadel. She managed to escape and flee to the nearest planet—Earth—where she encountered Robin and the others, before they were Titans. When she explained her situation they worked together to defeat the Gordanians, and Starfire was so moved by their kindness—and interested in Robin—that she decided to stay on Earth and learn more of their ways!

A newcomer to Earth, Starfire knows nothing of this planet's customs and therefore finds herself almost constantly out of place. Her powers of flight, super strength and Starbolts—powerful green projectiles launched from the hands or eyes—are activated by her feeling emotion, so she is usually overflowing with unbridled passion. As do most Tamaranians, she usually acts on her first impulse and is very honest as well. She and Robin share an attraction, but don't quite know how to display their feelings yet, though she definitely tries.

Ah Starfire, the source of a million play on words. The caring one trying hard to keep the team together. The object of Sanji's affection, with her eye only on Robin. There were so many roles for Starfire that I never had trouble using her. In fact, several paragraphs of tedious exposition could be turned into comedic gold with just a few sentences from the alien beauty. My only problem with Starfire was making sure I didn't go overboard with her speech oddities…as fun as they may be.

**Starfire's techniques:**

**Flaming Mouton Shoot **Chapter 12: A combination technique with Sanji. Sanji charges, and Starfire shoots him with a full-power Starbolt. He is set on fire and shot past his opponent's defenses, delivering a devastating Mouton Shoot that delivers the power of his leg and the Starbolt all in one kick.

**Cyborg:**

Formerly a talented young African American athlete, everything changed when the boy was involved in a horrific accident. To save his life he was built into the half-man, half-machine Cyborg! Angry because of his new appearance, Cyborg ran away and lived on the streets of Jump City until a chance encounter with several other young heroes. Finding kindred spirits and acceptance, he decided to stick with them and form the Teen Titans!

Cyborg loves life and attempts to live it to the fullest everyday. This makes him very enthusiastic, but in the same respect, when he gets down he _really_ gets down. Over time Cyborg has reaffirmed to himself several times that he is truly human, and each time he comes to accept his fate a little more. He's slowly embraced his robot side as well and become a mechanical genius, building the Titans gadgets. In fact, the entire tower is tied into his systems! Cyborg's mechanical body endows him with super strength, a Sonic Cannon and a back up arsenal of missiles, and an ever growing assortment of weapons hidden all over his upgradeable body!

Again, while I like all the Titans, Cyborg is my least favorite. He's the one who never seems to stand out, but he gels perfectly in almost any group setting, so I used him a lot as just one of the guys. Considering that Cyborg has always been a bit of a ladies' man, I decided to pair him with Nami, and as I stated in her profile, by not making it a _major_ relationship I think it worked well. Of course, because he had fewer subplots than all the others, I tried to make sure he shined in the battles that he had.

**Raven:**

Daughter of the human Arella and the physical incarnation of all evil, Trigon, Raven was destined from birth to become the portal that would allow Trigon to enter and take control of the human world. Arella was rescued by the monks of the mythical dimension Azarath, who trained Raven to suppress her emotions lest Trigon take control of her. Using this method they also taught her to control her powerful but complicated abilities. However, even the monks of Azarath knew they could not stop Trigon's destined arrival, and growing tired of waiting for her destiny to come Raven left for the human world, where she hoped she could bring a little good to the world before her father invaded. There she met other young heroes and helped form the Teen Titans!

In order to control her powers—which go out of control with bursts of emotion—and to resist her father's influence, Raven has been forced to suppress her feelings her entire life. This has made her a very distant, cynical person who usually acts as the voice of reason in the Titans. Despite all appearances, however, she truly loves her friends and would do anything for them. That said, she often still feels isolated and misunderstood, and longs for someone who can truly understand her. Raven is an empath, capable of sensing the emotions of those around her. She also has control of a dark energy within her that allows her to possess inanimate objects, shoot it as projectile attacks or solid objects such as claws and shields, and phase herself and others through solid matter. Raven also has the ability to heal the wounds of others, though to a limited extent. Finally, she can separate her mind from her body in a form of astral projection and enter the minds of others, either seeing their thoughts or manipulating their emotions.

Raven is tied with Beast Boy as my favorite Titan. Often in the series she's powered down to make a story more interesting (i.e. not possessing Killer Moth's whip and stealing it from him so that the story can focus around Starfire trying to stop Silkie in the episode "Can I Keep Him?"), but I wanted to try to use her abilities in the most realistic ways that I could, and I hope I succeeded. Though Raven probably fought less than the rest, she definitely got enough screen time with all the uses of her powers. Raven's subplot wasn't one that appeared to me as I was writing, like the Usopp and Terra story, but one I had thought of ahead of time. Raven and Zoro are the most mysterious of their groups, and I can see Raven wanting to find out a little more about him. I like the way it turned out—the scene between them in Chapter 29 is one of my favorites.

**Beast Boy:**

Considered a freak because of his green skin, young Beast Boy quickly found himself a member of the Doom Patrol, a force of powerful but misfit superheroes. Though they were his family, Beast Boy and the DP's leader, Mento, often clashed. Their difference in personalities finally became too much to ignore, and after being chastised for saving the DP's lives instead of chasing the enemy, Beast Boy left his family to move onto better things. He encountered Robin and began following the hero, eventually helping to form the Teen Titans, and growing into his own hero as he did so!

Beast Boy, deep down, is very insecure and just wants to know that he's cool. He spends all his time being the jokester, trying to receive that affirmation. Beast Boy is the most fun-loving and goofy of the Titans, and is often the instigator or butt of practical jokes. He and Cyborg have struck up a friendship, though they're often seen fighting over who's better at video games. Beast Boy is also determined to make Raven laugh ever since she said he was funny the first time they met—a claim she now denies. Beast Boy has the ability to transform into any animal, even extinct, alien, or mutant species. However, whatever animal he becomes retains the boy's green hue.

I love writing for Beast Boy, I really do. His fight scenes are incredibly fun to write—the possibilities are almost endless! Also, he's great for comic relief, from a small pun to even fourth-wall bending jokes! However, he can still handle a dramatic storyline, be it Terra's betrayal or the death of an enemy. I would never hesitate to write another BB tale, and am very proud of all his appearances in this story. Would have liked to mention his love of mopeds perhaps once more, just because…who doesn't love mopeds?

**Beast Boy's attacks:**

**Kokute Roseo Kachuu **Chapter 18: Combination attack with Tony Tony Chopper. The two both transform to Chopper's Jumping Point, using their superhuman legs to hurl themselves into a dizzying spin—switching to Arm Point at the last second, they deliver a punch with all their momentum behind them, sending the enemy spinning off. Kachuu means vortex in Japanese.

**Kocootie Roseo **Chapter 18: Beast Boy's mispronounced interpretation of Chopper's signature technique.

**Various animal forms **Chapter 19: Under the influence of Chopper's Rumble Ball, Beast Boy begins naming his various animal forms as he assumes them.

**Terra:**

A young girl with stupendous powers, Terra couldn't fully control them and caused chaos everywhere she went. She traveled the world trying to do good, but could only bring harm to those she loved. Eventually she found the Teen Titans, who were willing to take her in and give her a home. Beast Boy even accepted her lack of control, though she made him keep it a secret. When Robin figured it out on his own, Terra thought BB had betrayed her and ran away from the Titans—and straight into the arms of Slade. He taught her to control her abilities, and in exchange she would become his apprentice. She infiltrated the Teen Titans as a spy, gathering their secrets so that they could take down the teens from the inside. However, Slade became distracted by the Stone of Iso Toa while Terra, meanwhile, remembered just why she loved her teammates so much to begin with.

Terra is very gung-ho, fun loving, and eager—at least at first glance. However, the trauma in her life has lead her to base her life around the expectations and reactions of other people. Therefore, she's very easily influenced and manipulated. Now that she's learned to make her own decisions and is on the Titans for good, hopefully she can become more confident in herself. Terra has terrakinesis, or control over the very Earth.

Another favorite of mine, I originally included Terra in this story only because I knew I wanted to use Chopper, and wanted a sixth Titan to even up the sides. Eventually I decided to change up the story of her betrayal to fit my story, and things just went from there. However, I'm not saying that the Terra who beat all the Titans and left them for dead on the TV show could have rejoined the team this easily. Things happened a lot differently in this story. In the show Terra _was_ considering staying with the Titans, just as in the story, until Slade revealed to Beast Boy that she was his apprentice and BB told her she "had no friends." That was the turning point, and the spot where the two Terra's differ—that never happened to _this _Terra. Instead, she felt betrayed by Slade, and that made all the difference.

**Slade:**

A mysterious criminal mastermind, nothing is known of Slade's past. We do know that he desires domination and control of the world, as well as an apprentice to pass his skill and knowledge down to. First he chose Robin, blackmailing the hero into working for him. When the other Titans came to his rescue and sent Slade running in defeat, he set his sights on Terra. However, with the possibility of ultimate power presented by the Stone of Iso Toa, Slade lost sight of all other goals.

Slade is cold, cruel, and manipulative. He's a master martial artist and strategist, but he usually prefers to let others do his dirty work for him, be they apprentices, robots, or even hired help such as the H.I.V.E., Cinderblock or Plasmus.

If Zoro is the badass of OP, then Slade takes that position in TT. I don't think I handled him the best in early chapters, but as time went on I had tons of fun making him more and more menacing. I particularly loved Chapter 27 where he explained to Mother how _he_ chose his future, not fate. Obviously I was imposing _my_ opinion through all the exchanges with Mother against her fatalist doctrines, but the true way to be successful when putting opinions into your writing is to make it sound believable to the characters saying it Learned that from a certain Mr. Peter David—writes a good how to write comics book, and if anybody believes in _his_ power to change destiny, it has to be Slade. The guy's a beast and I don't think it's possible to kill him off for good—though I think I had a couple people fooled, which is very good!

**Captain Smoker:**

"White Chase" Smoker is a Marine Captain who had control over Loguetown, the town of the Pirate King's birth near the entrance to the Grand Line. He prided himself in never letting a pirate escape his post—until Monkey D. Luffy incredulously made it out of Loguetown alive! Smoker and his subordinate Tashigi embarked to the Grand Line to chase the Straw Hat pirates, never quite catching up to the pirates' location until they found the mysterious mastermind Slade floating in the ocean.

Smoker's Plume Plume Fruit—a very rare Logia variety—allows him to create, control, and turn into pure smoke, making him nigh untouchable! The police stick on his back contains Seastone, which contains the power of the ocean, nullifying the power of Devil Fruit users. Smoker could be much higher ranked than a Captain, but he believes in his own justice above all else, and often tells the World Government to "go eat shit!" when they command him to do something that goes against his idea of _justice_.

Captain Smoker was there to show Slade the ropes, plus I thought the idea of Robin and Luffy's greatest enemies teaming up was cool. When the idea for the story had originally been short, I had figured Slade would betray him at the end. However, a few chapters in—once I had created the Iso-jin—that was moved into early in the story so that the Iso-jin could take the forefront. Still, he's a pretty cool guy, and I'm glad he's starting to come around in the actual OP manga.

**Captain Smoker's attacks:**

**White Snake** Chapter 3, 7: Smoker's arm dissolves into smoke and propels his fist like a rocket for a killer punch.

**Smoke Wormhole **Chapter 7: Smoker fills an area completely with smoke, transporting objects from one part of the smoke to other parts seemingly magically. I created this attack.

**White Storm **Chapter 7: Smoker turns completely into smoke, spiraling forward like a smoking tornado. I created this attack.

**Tashigi:**

Subordinate to Captain Smoker, Tashigi is an identical look-alike to Zoro's childhood rival Kuina. Her philosophies on being a woman swordsman are also identical—Tashigi wants her opponents to ignore her gender and fight her like a man! Tashigi feels that all swords used by pirates or bounty hunters must "be crying", and wishes to collect all the famous swords in their possession—including Zoro's three swords! Tashigi is well meaning but very inept and clumsy, and she still has much to learn about the world. Though her swordsmanship skills are nowhere near the likes of Zoro's and Ian's, she is far from a novice and can defeat even very powerful pirates.

I actually don't like Tashigi much. Her misunderstandings with Zoro could be solved with basically one sentence, so the fact that she continues on her crusade still bugs me. However, she was perfect for furthering the Zoro/Raven/Ian dynamic, and I'm glad I used her in that respect. And I'm definitely interested in where her storyline leads her and Zoro the future of the manga.

**Note: All the Iso-jin and their attacks are original, created by me.**

**Iso:**

An orphan raised on an island where power and influence trumps all, Iso was mistreated by everybody in his life until he found the Konki Konki fruit. With it he gained the nearly unstoppable power to absorb and manipulate energy, and used it to destroy his home. Iso believed in only his power, and planned to use it to create a utopian society across the Grand Line by sapping people of their free will! Eventually he met Toa and, while waiting for her powers to kick in, was attacked by the future Pirate King, Gold Roger! Iso's own attack was reflected back upon him, trapping him within a stone and sending him to an alternative dimension, where he patiently waited for decades until he was found by none other than Slade himself!

Since Iso's power saved him from torture, Iso believes in his power as an absolute—everything else is insignificant. However, Iso is capable of other emotions. Though much of his desire to rule the world came from greed, he still thought he was making the world a better place. And though he thought of Toa as a tool more than anything, he did truly love her. In the end, his goals and power simply trumped all in his mind. Iso also has an affinity for spicy food—the hotter the better!

Ah, the final villain of _The Ultimate Cruise._ As I said in Luffy's profile, I wanted Iso to be a villain for Luffy—but also for Robin. To that extent, taking advice from comic great Marv Wolfman, creator of the New Teen Titans, I wanted him to have a connection to both, not just be some random guy that anybody could fight. For Robin, being a threat to his friends and city was enough. For Luffy, though, I needed more, and that's where the backstory tied to Gold Roger came in. His love of hot food originally was just a character quirk—an attempt for him not to be all doom and gloom. When I was trying to figure out how Luffy would see through his final attack, it evolved into what it eventually became.

Iso was originally intended to be a villain using two Devil's Fruits—one having the power of rock, and one the power of lasers, or something lame like that. Then, in the manga Jyabura mentioned that eating two Devil's Fruits would cause the person to explode, so I dropped that idea and I'm glad it became what it is now. However, the hardest angle of Iso for me to figure out was his relationship with Toa/Mother. Did he truly love her? Or was he just using her all along? I knew _she_ loved him, but…eventually I decided for a little of both. Iso _did_ find himself loving her, but he isn't against even using his _love_ as a tool to further his purposes. A true bastard all the way, but like all the Iso-jin, I at least tried to have him have motivations behind his actions beyond just evil. I don't think any of them are truly evil…though some of them _are_ quite twisted.

**Mother/Toa:**

Born the final heir to a famous clan of swordsmiths on Ianoa Island, Toa was bored with her life and all those living on that isle. She wished for somebody truly extraordinary—and then Iso appeared. It was love at first sight, and Toa forsook her legacy to follow in _his_ footsteps, and after endearing herself to him she ate the Yoken Yoken fruit and became his Oracle. However, her premonitions weren't working correctly, and their journey was postponed until her powers emerged. Unfortunately, in the meantime the island was attacked by the pirate Gold Roger, and Toa received the vision too late to save her love. Overcome with grief Toa blamed herself until she decided that fate had declared it, and looking forward into the future, saw the path she thought fate had set for her. Taking the name Mother, Toa organized a group of "Iso-jin" to eventually fulfill the task fate had assigned her: reviving her lover, Iso!

Toa was very single-minded—first she was determined to find excellence, and once she did, she became obsessed with Iso and nothing else. She cared about nothing or nobody except for her love, and happily manipulated or killed people who got in the way of her plans. In fact, Toa felt no guilt for any of her actions, feeling that fate decreed them long before she existed. She became a staunch advocate of fatalism as a scapegoat for her own guilt, and was so blinded by her beliefs that even her Devil's Fruit abilities couldn't detect changes in the time stream. Toa's Yoken Yoken Fruit allowed her to view the future, either as a vision or parallel to the present. In imitation of Iso's abilities, Toa had complete control of her body's chi as a weapon, and was also a master martial artist. She also had complete access to Iso's stash of weapons, including his energy collectors, one of which she wore as a conduit to her love's power. She sent all damage taken to him, while she could use it to rejuvenate her aged body to its prime as well!

To me, Mother is the most evil of the Iso-jin. She was totally selfish, not to mention creepy. When my proofreader told me he "hated" her, I said "Good, you're supposed to." She stands for everything that I hate, really. Though as a person I haven't made very many strides in this area, I definitely believe that we make our own future—we can only blame circumstances for so much. Mother blinded herself to the truth, and paid the ultimate price for it. The only sympathy I have for her is for the fact that she's a very, very sick woman.

The situation between Iso, Mother and Ivan is a parallel to a situation I'm ashamed to admit I was involved in. I looked up to somebody I'll call friend "J". He helped me deal with some problems I was having in my life, and in my eyes was somebody I wanted to model myself after completely. Of course, I was blind to his many faults and the fact that he was leading me into situations I didn't want to be involved in. I'm Ivan. Friend "J", meanwhile, thought he was completely independent to a fault, really, but every decision he made was just following the lead of his best friend, Friend "R". "J" is Mother, while "R" holds the Iso position (but cared a lot less about the whole thing). Fortunately, I came to my senses before I followed "J" into ruin like Ivan did, but he hasn't been so fortunate—though I will say he hasn't been blown into bits from the inside out yet (my proofreader will be saying "Dang!" here heehee.) This wasn't the ideas in my head as I wrote them, but once I realized the uncanny similarities, well, it had to be influenced by it. And now I'm sharing it with you. The more you know!

**Mother/Toa's attacks:**

**Yoken Yoken: Thirty Seconds Parallel Run** Chapter 24, 27: Mother looks thirty seconds into the future then creates a parallel run, thus seeing the present through one eye and thirty seconds into the future in the other.

**Note**: at Iso's suggestion, Toa stopped naming her chi techniques upon joining up with Iso's crew—all her named techniques come from before this moment.

**Death Scatter **Chapter 26: Toa unleashes a beam of chi that splits into dozens of smaller blasts that target and impale entire groups of soldiers.

**Crescent Blade **Chapter 26: Waving her arm, Toa unleashes a crescent shaped blade of chi.

**Detonate **Chapter 26: A massive amount of Toa's chi is unleashed all around her body, exploding like a bomb.

**Ian:**

Son of the acting Iso-jin leader Ivan and his bride Isabel, Ian led an idyllic childhood, until his mother grew fed up with Ivan's foremost allegiance to Mother, and the Iso-jin's inactivity. She left the cult and took Ian with her, vowing to save Ianoa Island herself. She took action to sabotage the gangs, but was found out by Rodell's group and executed in front of her young son. Rescued by his father, Ian vowed to fulfill Isabel's dream—but was manipulated by Mother into thinking that working with the Iso-jin was the way to do so. Given the mystical sword Eehuah, Ian defended Ianoa Island while waiting for the day when the user of _santoryu_ would arrive with the Great Power that could save his home!

Like Zoro, Ian's entire purpose in life is to fulfill his dream, even if he dies trying. However, unlike Zoro, in the meantime he's found time for other things, such as Chiyu—but would discard anything if it interfered with his goal. He's also very vengeful and can hold a grudge for quite a long time, but this tends to blur his judgment. Despite it all, Ian has the best of intentions, and is one of the few Iso-jin who could function in society. He wields the sword Eehuah, which was made from Iso's crystal and endowed with a fraction of his power. Ian can use his willpower to shape the energy within Eehuah to his whim, creating lethal combinations.

Ian was meant to be Zoro's rival, and in that respect they're very much alike. Since he lost to Mihawk, every enemy that Zoro's fought have been testing different areas of his skill. Hachi tested his endurance, Mr. 1 his understanding of swordsmanship, Ohm his forethought (he had to get around mantra)—and Ian is no different. Ian is an enemy with just as much drive as Zoro, and the first to ever take more than one or two strikes from him and survive. This was a match of who could stay focused the longest, and Ian lost because he was shown that he didn't _have_ to win to fulfill his dream. If he hadn't been enlightened, who knows, they might _still_ be fighting. As the only Iso-jin who wasn't sick, I'm glad he was able to get back on track. He'll get Ianoa Island back in shape in no time.

**Ian's attacks:**

**Crimson Blade **Chapter 5, 11, 22, 26: Ian's favorite and most common attack, he swings the Eehuah, sending a crescent shaped blade of crimson energy towards the enemy.

**Shield **Chapter 5, 11, 13, 22: Creates a crimson shield of pure energy. It can take the shape of a wall or a bubble.

**Luminescent Whip **Chapter 5, 21: A trail of crimson energy extends from the Eehuah, creating a whip that can be retracted, extended or controlled at will.

**Eehuah Explosion **Chapter 5, 22: Ian's most powerful technique, he channels a large amount of the Eehuah's power into a projectile that produces a deadly explosion on contact. Before Ian was connected to the Iso Toa through the crystal, using this technique drained him of all his stamina and power.

**Crimson Elevator **Chapter 21: Thrusting the Eehuah into the ground, Ian projects a giant pillar of crimson energy that elevates him to a destination in the air.

**Crimson Blade Strangle **Chapter 22: Ian slashes his sword viciously, unleashing a constant barrage of crescent shaped blades of energy.

**Luminescent Whip Barbs **Chapter 22: Ian creates a crimson energy whip from the Eehuah, only barbs emerge up and down the weapon.

**Crimson Maze **Chapter 22: Energy from the Eehuah covers the floor of the battlefield in intricate patterns, rising into huge walls that create a maze to trap the opponent. Ian is able to merge through and hide within the walls.

**Crimson Comet **Chapter 23: Ian surrounds himself with crimson energy which propels him forward like a bullet train. If his opponent manages to make it inside the comet, they will be damaged by the energy surrounding them while Ian goes for the kill with the actual blade.

**Crimson Tsunami **Chapter 30: With one swing of the Eehuah Ian unleashed a tidal wave of crimson energy leaving no opponent in the area unharmed.

**Ivan:**

Ivan was used by his father Ike as a thief, stealing fruit which Ike sold at discount prices so as to save to leave the quickly deteriorating Ianoa Island. One day Ivan accidentally ate a Devil's Fruit he stole, which would have netted them enough money to escape! In a fit of rage Ike attacked the boy, and acting on impulse Ivan killed his father with his newfound power. From that day on Ivan viewed his abilities as a curse. Eventually he found himself using his abilities in Rodell's gang, and thought they were finally becoming useful until he was confronted by his gangmates, who were threatened by Ivan's power and assaulted him, leaving him for dead. He was rescued by Mother, who gave him the Ehedren armor to suppress his "cursed" powers. Ivan declared his everlasting loyalty to the woman who saved him, no matter what she asked him to do.

A very serious and determined man, Ivan saw the world in a very distorted black and white—Mother was always right, everything else was wrong. Everything came second to her whims, even his wife and child. One would think this would lead to a very unhappy life, but seeing as Ivan cared only for Mother's happiness, he was happy regardless. Heck, it's even possible he knew Mother was just manipulating him, and just didn't care. The Ehedren armor contained a battery of Iso's power that could be used to expand the stone armor or release quick blasts of energy, but it was possible to overload it. Ivan's Suji Suji fruit gave him complete control of his muscles, allowing him to focus, regenerate, and grow them to superhuman size.

A complete tool, Ivan is the ultimate mindless soldier. Like Tank and Swifty, he shows that we need to know exactly what it is we're believing in, and why. They figured that out, Ivan didn't. I feel sorry for him, but at the same time, he was way too far gone to save either. I paired him against Beast Boy and Chopper because they're opposites—those two are young, playful and loud, while Ivan is old, serious and quiet. They're just fun together. Nobody else could get the reactions from him that they did!

**Ivan's attacks:**

**Ehedren armor:**

**Crimson Nightmare **Chapter 18: Ivan's armor's basic attack, he shoots a beam of crimson power from whatever armor has formed on his arm at the time.

**Security Gauntlet…Crush **Chapter 18: The armor cuffs on Ivan's arms expand into large stone circles, or gauntlets, used to block. Ivan crushes an opponent with it.

**Crimson Burst **Chapter 18: An expansive blast from all surfaces of the armor, meant to stun and toss back enemies.

**Crimson Geyser **Chapter 18: With his entire body covered in the Ehedren armor, Ivan fires a full-body blast into the air like an erupting geyser.

**Security Gauntlet…Cymbal **Chapter 18: Growing a gauntlet on each arm, Ivan smashes his opponent between the two shields.

**Crimson Cannonball **Chapter 18: Ivan entraps the opponent in a sphere of crimson energy, which carries them across the battlefield before exploding.

**Defensive Eclipse **Chapter 18: The armor—in a flash—covers the user's entire body for a full defense.

**Tremor Dash **Chapter 18: Crimson energy explodes from armor on Ivan's feet, propelling him like a human rocket.

**Crimson Damnation **Chapter 18: The Ehedren's ultimate attack, Ivan converts the armor on both of his arms to energy and fires a powerful double-handed blast that soars like fire, incinerating anything in its path. It's a draining technique that takes a while to recharge if used repeatedly.

**Suji Suji Fruit:**

**Suji Suji Maximum **Chapter 19: Every single one of Ivan's muscles instantly grow to their natural limit.

**Suji Suji Enhancement: Arms **Chapter 19: All the muscle in Ivan's body focus into one or both arms, allowing him to surpass his limit.

**Suji Suji Enhancement: Hurricane **Chapter 19: Ivan uses the sudden shift of every maximized muscle in his body to create hurricane force winds.

**Suji Chest Shield **Chapter 19: Ivan shifts his pectoral muscles to block attacks to his face.

**Suji Suji Enhancement: Hands **Chapter 19 All the muscles in Ivan's body focus into his hands.

**Thunder Clap **Chapter 19 With all his muscles moved into his hands, Ivan smashes his opponent by clapping with them in-between his hands.

**Suji Suji Overdrive **Chapter 19 Every single one of Ivan's muscles become double their already maximized size, pushing past their limit. This would be like using an Suji Suji enhancement on the entire body, only this is a dangerous technique that damages Ivan's body in the process. A last resort.

**Suji Suji Overdriven Enhancement: Hurricane **Chapter 19: Ivan focuses the dangerous muscles of the "Suji Suji Overdrive" into his arms, nearly making them explode. The force of the shifting creates a hurricane-force gale that can nearly decimate any enemy.

**Tank and Swifty:**

Best friends and abandoned youth of Ianoa Island, Tank and Swifty found themselves about to die in a bitter gang fight when their lives were saved by Mother and Ian. They saw the power Ian possessed, and Mother told them it could be theirs too if they served her, and offered them both Devil's Fruits. Eager to become stronger, both accepted her offer, taking the fruits and becoming obligated to follow Mother's orders.

Tank and Swifty are fun-loving and amiable, and also like a pretty face (they went right for Starfire wink wink.) They follow orders like good soldiers, but aren't so cut off from the world that they think everything they do is right. Tank is very large and naturally strong, and his Sai Sai Fruit lets him turn into a Rhinoceros. Swifty is small and fast, and his Neko Neko Fruit model Cheetah lets him turn into a Cheetah.

Like Ivan, Tank and Swifty represent the dangers of mindlessly following ideas or orders without knowing _why_ first. They, however, were smart enough to realize their mistakes and redeem themselves. I think most people in their situations have those nagging doubts in their head that something isn't right here, and should perhaps listen to them more. Their distinct speech patterns come from an effort to give them some uniqueness (Oda-sensei, the author of OP, often gives his characters distinctive ways of talking), but I wasn't sure exactly how I wanted to do it at first. That's why their ways of talking evolve throughout the few chapters they were in as I set rules for it. In the end, I like the idea but wish I had chosen speech patterns that were less annoying. My proofreader called it "soldier speak", but that wasn't the intention at all.

**Tank's attacks:**

**Sai Sai Slam **Chapter 12, 30: An extremely powerful full body slam in his half-human half-rhino form.

**Swifty's attacks:**

**Cross-Cut Slash **Chapter 12, 30: In his half-man half-cheetah mode, Swifty bares his claws and slashes as he runs past his opponent, leaving a pattern of crossing scars down their back.

**Chiyu:**

As Ian's girlfriend, Chiyu enjoys a very high ranking in the Iso-jin society, just below that of Tank and Swifty. Like all Iso-jin she's a master martial artist, and she's also second only to Mother at using the Iso-jin "magic", making her an expert healer—even able to repair damaged clothing! Just like the other soldiers she was rescued by Mother and thus gives her allegiance to her, but she can sense something fishy is going on. She truly loves Ian and wishes he wasn't so serious all the time.

Chiyu was originally intended to be a generic Iso-jin soldier, with a Devil's Fruit ability to manipulate her opponent's health—either healing or plaguing them. She was going to confront our heroes while Tank and Swifty fought Starfire and Sanji, and was going to be defeated by Cyborg—as her abilities couldn't affect his metal. However, I couldn't figure out why someone who could see the future would send a soldier to kill our heroes when she needed them alive, so instead Chiyu evolved into what she is now, a sympathetic character that helped figure out the truth and turn the others away from Mother while supporting Ian. As a minor character, she turned out well.

Well, thanks for taking a look behind the scenes—hope the peek inside my head didn't scare you too much! I'm not sure what my next writing project will be, but rest assured there will be one eventually—thank you all for being fans of my writing and supporting me with your replies! Stay cool, rock on, and see you later!

—**Pivitor**


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